Criminal love
by Itachis959572ndFangirl
Summary: Kirei is a young village girl working in her family fruit store, what happens when a young handsome ninja comes in? Magic, chaos, psychic abilities and...Aliens? I mean, what? A humorous love story between OC Kirei and Uchiha Itachi, This is based on my manga. Which can be viewed elsewhere- profile for link. Back when Itachi was still existing in the world
1. Chapter 1

**Criminal Love.**

A young child pretties herself, preparing for her shift in her family store in the bottom floor of their residential building. She straitens out her dress dusting off the dust bunnies and fluff that it has picked up from the floor. Flickering around her long black hair, tying it up in a tight ponytail, moving her fringe away from obscuring her eyes.

"Kirei get those apples out!"A female voice sing-singed throughout the halls, Kirei turned away from the distracting mirror and ran to the kitchen picking up apples from an open box into a oval shaped straw woven basket.

"Yes Mother!" A Kirei called back, carrying the basket in her arms she turned down the hall walking quickly down the wooden floor turning to the stair case leading into the store. As soon as she got to the store she was surprised to see someone standing in front of the plain counter. He was looking at the various vegetables and fruit in the open containers with small fans and irrigation systems. He was young about the same age as Kirei, he had long wisps of hair that draped just past his neck, he had a long fringe that almost covered his dark eyes. His face was cute looking but the expression showed that he was not one that would simply tell people what he was thinking. He turned to her taking his hand off the counter brushing off the dust from the counter that had attached itself to his hand. Kirei walked up past the counter to face the boy.

"How may I help-"The girl's sentence was cut short as the strange boy smoothly picked an apple and started to walk away.

"Here" Without looking back the boy threw coins towards Kirei all perfectly falling into the basket of apples.

Stunned by the stranger the girl could only watch the boy walk away.

Tuesday.

"Kirei! Apples!"Kirei's Mother nagged her only daughter to prepare their shops special apples from far away.

"Of course Mother!" Kirei stepped out, turning to face the entrance door, only to be face to face with the boy from yesterday.

"Huh?!" Kirei thoughts jolted in surprise as the boy had snuck up behind her without a sound. Silence echoes throughout the shop, while Kirei recovers from her slight daze.

"b-but b-b-b-but…" Kirei stuttered.

"H-how? You-" Kirei, confused checked behind her for any other surprises, mumbling gibberish then turning back to the boy only to find that he has gone. In a sudden flurry of shock confusion the once held basket, topples onto the floor, as apples bounce, spray and roll over the floor. Kirei quickly scans the area flicking her head left and right, her black ponytailed whipping as she checks behind towards the counter. Her eyes bulge out a bit as plainly standing there was the boy, apple in hand, cash in the other. Slightly leaning on the counter waiting for the stunned girl to finish panicking and serve him.

"M-Magic!!" She yelled accusatively at him.

"You're using magic!"

"That's why-"Kirei shouted at him as if in sudden revelation to the answer to everything. The boy only answered with silence and a face that physically, pretty much said, 'No-I-don't-know-what-your-talking-about-please-stop.'

"You can move without anyone seeing you!!" Kirei pointed her finger at him. Still the boy only answers with silence and raised eyebrows. Kirei holding up her finger of all knowing justice, waiting for the boy to confess his secret to teleportation. The boy only twitched a smirk and sighed. Kirei only more infuriated, gasped for air. Eyes slightly bloodshot while small beads of sweat slipped down her forehead and cheeks. The boy saying nothing smirked and waved his money at her. Kirei put down her finger of might and made a frustrated face at the boy. Then slowly side stepped her way behind the counter facing the quiet customer.

"That'll be 120ryo. Thank you." As practiced every day. Kirei repeated the line to the boy only without the always charming smile. The boy merely passed the cash towards the shop clerk girl.

"Thank you. Your change is 880ryo, Please shop here again." In shop clerk mode Kirei passed the required change to the customer.

The boy chuckled softly to himself with a slyly half lidded grin.

"What?" Kirei inquired almost annoyed.

"…I'm not magic" Finally the boy speaks, his words slip through his etching smirk in an almost utterly teasing way. Suddenly with a flashing blur of black accompanied with a sound of zooms and whooshes, the boy disappears in blink of an eye. Now in an even more of an unbelievable state Kirei remained positively frozen in shock and awe.

Wednesday.

With stealth of an average child Kirei poked her head round the corner at the bottom of the stairs leading towards the shop. Silently scanning the area for any magical creatures with mystical properties of silent movement. Slowly tiptoeing backwards into the quiet shop she kept her ears on high alert keeping her prized basket in arms. As she continues to creep into the cool vegetable shop a dark shadow looms over her hunched over figure. One last step backwards then suddenly, the slightest bump onto something or someone foreign. With her heartbeats increasing ever so slightly, she peered down behind the obstructed foot and what she saw was a pair of two blue open toed sandals, with the ankles up wrapped in bandages. Looking up even more to identify the perpetrator, praying to god it's not the boy of magic. The light blue shirt, one shouldered bag with hands in the pockets of the white-ish-grey three quarter pants made Kirei's already fast paced heart speed up even more. With one last daring gulp Kirei checked further up to see whose face was the owner. To her almost fated demise the owner would just happen to be the boy of magic. At the moment of that fateful eye contact Kirei's heart pounded very hard within her tight chest, then as suddenly as I started it stops at the most indefinitely. Dropping everything in the surprise Kirei only stares and remains frozen. The boy only looks over her frozen image, as the silence falls over the shop once again. Magic boy then picks the most un-bruised apple of the fallen then continues to the counter, ruffles through his pockets to pull out his change, Proceeds to leave the required amount rolling and twirling about on the counter. Then makes his leave, walking past the frozen girl and out the entrance, Kirei unable to confound what had just happened remained that way for another couple hours.

Thursday.

Rummaging in the cupboards underneath the shop counter, Kirei pulls out the basket of new apples and places it on the wooden counter. Hearing the first shuffles of the morning shift, Kirei looks up to see the first customer of the day. Frowning as the person walks softly onto the wooden floor of the shop in front of her counter.

"So…He walks…" Slyly Kirei addressed the person.

"Yes." Magic boy coolly answered hands in his pocket with a board look on his face.

"…What are you" Softening, Kirei decided to indulge a little with the strange boy. Bang! Magic boy slammed his hand onto the counter and leaned in menacingly.

"One apple please." Locking eyes with Kirei, Magic boy was demanding and almost frightening.

"Alright…One apple is 120ryo please. Just take one out of this basket." Magi boy scanned over the apples, Kirei made a face watching the boy point over all the apples stopping once and a while at some of the shiniest. Then Magic boy picked a large red shiny apple.

"This one." Magic boy held up the apple for proof.

"That'll be 120ryo. Thank you."

"There." Magic boy pointed at the counter where he had slammed his hand down earlier, there lie 2 50ryo coins.

"…uh…That's only 100ryo…Your missing 20ryo" Kirei stated while staring at the lone coins. PING! The girl looked up to identify the ringing sound. In a flash of spinning shine, a circular object started flying towards her speedily. POP. The remaining amount of payment due stuck to the top of Kirei's forehead.

'OW' Kirei silently cried in pain as the coin remained there. Without another word the coin slipped off her forehead and into the basket of apples. A small vein popped out from the temples of Kirei's head.

'WHAT?' In anger Kirei thoughtfully questions the boy's sanity. Magic boy merely smirks and makes a Hmph sound.

"In a few more months, it'll be an obvious…" Magic boy slyly grinned in her obliviousness.

"What will?!"Kirei yelled angrily from the now painful headache pulsing from the area where a red circular bruise gleamed it's way to the surface.

"…What I am." And with that the boy turned and left the girl with a slight frown.

Friday.

A Pair of blue open toed sandals stands in front of a plain wooden counter. 'Free apple Friday!' Says a small cardboard sign sitting in a basket full of fresh apples, silently a dark figure looms over the sign in an aura of annoyance.

"I wonder what to do today." Kirei wonders as she stalked around the village with a lollipop stuck in her mouth. Unaware that a sinister character is watching her small childish figure weaves in between the crowds of shoppers and peddlers. Lifting his cloaked self off the building side wall and slyly stalked her careful to keep a good distance away, as she visits the various stalls and stores. A pair of blue open toed sandals steadies itself on top of a tiled roof, watching the consequential event unfold.

'Idiot…' Magic boy sat in a slight fright, worrying if he is ready for something like this. He's been training for the past months for things like this only more dangerous and supervised by a fully trained teacher. Magic boy gulped and prepared himself for what's to come.

"Hey lil' girl…" A dark voice slithers into her ears from the dark corners of a small fenced off area between two buildings. Facing the menace Kirei encountered a man dressed in a long closed trench coat, face hidden by a straw hat and long blonde fringes with the help of the tall collar of the coat.

"Come here" The man signalled the girl to approach him. Kirei remained silent, wary about the stranger.

"…Why…" Kirei spoke almost as a frightened whisper keeping her distance in the moving streams of people that can watch and alert the police of anything suspicious.

"I have something for you…" Smirking at his confidence he was pretty sure that this little girl was his. In a swift scrambling moment Kirei scraped up the dust underneath her black sandals making a sprint towards the larger crowd ahead. The man lifted his straw hat to allow some light to see, smirking he watches her attempt to run.

Her heart pounded in her tight chest, gasping as she squeezed air into her lungs, running as fast as she could. Legs burning with pain, as she covered as much distance from the stalker as possible, huffing and puffing Kirei slows down to a stop, staggering around until she couldn't continued, heaving over she leans on her knees taking in deep breaths. After catching her breath Kirei checks behind her just to see a large crowd of people chatting, shopping and some even staring at her. Up, down, left, right Kirei checked everywhere paranoia keeping her heart rate was speeding, when she had decided that the area was clear. Kirei took a large gulp of air then exhaled, amazingly kept the lollipop in her mouth the entire time.

'Did I … get away?' Kirei thought, swiping the beads of sweat slipping down her forehead sweeping her fringe to the side. The dark shadow smirked as his prey has tired herself out, all the more easier to catch.

'That was creepy.' Kirei walked about through small streets with less people, still checking behind. Turning into an even less populated street she wondered down the street. A sudden flash of arms stretched out to grab the un-suspecting girl, dragging her tiny body into a tight dark alleyway, beating her along the way. Clamping his much larger hand over her mouth, squeezing her cheeks and with a constricting grip keeping her screams, yells and squeals muffled. While using his other arm to hold her up off the floor so she started to flail and kick him.

'Why?' Kirei began tearing up in sheer terror and panic. Squeezing her eyes shut she repeats her thoughts as they echoed in a swirling violent doom. THUD! Kirei is suddenly freed from her constricted prison, still squeezing her eyes shut as her body fell violently to the floor, slamming her face to the dirt.

"Huh?" Kirei found herself fallen on the floor, pushed herself up and looked behind, there stood Magic boy holding up a beat up man in a large coat, hat fallen off, the one from before. Silence falls on the alley way as Kirei can only stare. Magic boy made a more annoyed face at her then in another blur of black and fuzzy swish, magic boy is gone.

Saturday.

"Welcome." Magic boy stood in the family owned store staring at today's shop clerk.

'This is…-' Magic boy quietly contemplated to himself while watching the much elder woman, fair haired with headband pulled back her while her long hair laid on her back. Hands folded on top of each other charmingly smiling at the customer, she was dressed in a large plain apron making her look like a dedicated house wife, similar to his mother.

'-Is not the same person.' Itachi stared at the woman with contemplating face.

"How may I help you?" The woman spoke in a smooth loving tone, much cheerier than Kirei.

'Who…? Is this? Where is she?' Magic boy wondered if Kirei had walked into the village again. Little did he know that Kirei was sound asleep in her room.

"Um…Sir?" The woman began to worry as the boy just stood more silent and still than ever.

"…Where is the girl who was here on Thursday?" Finally the boy speaks and with glee she immediately answers.

"Oh! That was my daughter she works after school and sometimes the mornings, but today is her day off, do you know her?" As she speaks magic boy comes to the sudden realism that this woman is the usual counter girl's mother!

'Mother…? What to do now?' Magic boy sweated a bit, worrying if he should make some kind of good impression though his slight panic attack gets interrupted.

"Um…Would you like me to call her?" The woman tilted her head to the side, inquiring that he may be one of her daughter's friends.

"Yes please." Magic boy gave a sly grin, as the mother went off to call her sleeping daughter.

"Kirei!! Wake up!!" Kirei eyes snapped open, as she flies upward shoving her blanket off her upper torso.

"What Mom?!"

"Get down here now!!"

"Why?!" Magic boy made a face as he realizes how much the two were related, screaming down the halls at each other until they reach some kind of understanding.

"There's someone here for you!!" Suddenly loud stomping footsteps quickly run down the stairs of the building. Appearing before Magic boy only wearing her plain cream , upon eye contact Magic boy gave a small smile at Kirei.

"I'm going back to bed!!" And with that Kirei stomped back up the wooden stairs to the residential area. A loud door slam echoes throughout the street with the company of a gentle shake of the building.

"She's just shy." Kirei's mother clasped her hands together, reassuring the young boy.

'Sure….' Itachi secretly thought.

"By the way, who are you?" The curious mother inquired. The boy gave a slight smirk and answered politely.

"Uchiha Itachi"

"Do you mean that ninja child prodigy, I heard from my friend?"

"Yes"

"Oh my, a ninja asking for my daughter?" Kirei's mother blushed and put her hands to her cheeks in a dream like state.

"Don't worry, wait here, I'll get Kirei for you." The ends of Itachi's lips twitched upwards. He was going to have fun today after all.

"Kirei wake up! There's a ninja for you!!" More loud bangs and slams echoed throughout the house.

"What?!" Itachi frowned as he rethought about the situation. 'What did I just get myself into?'

Sunday.

"Kirei! Come down!!"

"Huh?" Itachi face planted his palm in a slight depression as he questions why he keeps coming back.

'Why?' Sighing Itachi looks up to see Kirei now dressed walking down the stairs.

"Alright, Alright I'm down…"

"O.K now you and-"Kirei's mother got cut off as Kirei raced past her grabbed the boy by the shoulders, twirled him around on his heels and pushed him out the door.

"'K. mom be right back!!" Kirei's mother stood there watching them walk away in silence.

"…They grow up so fast." She put her hands to her cheeks, reminiscing her younger days.

"O.K Why are you doing this? And who are you?"The boy gave a soft chuckle before replying cheekily.

"It's polite to give your own name, before you ask for one." Kirei finally stopping takes her hands off Itachi's light blue high neck collared shirt. Noticing the large fan like symbol on the back of the shirt, seemingly very important. Itachi turned around to face the annoyed girl. Kirei only greeted him with creased brows and a frown.

"Hmph, well you're not getting it."

"It's Kirei isn't it?" Surprised Kirei retorted, unfolding her arms in defence.

"You're mean."

"Now, now, No need to throw insults."Itachi keeping his cool, against such a person with a short temper, though with every word he says, she only seems to get more annoyed.

"I have every need to insult you!" Taken back, Itachi decided to start things off. Rather than agitating the small ticking bomb.

"Usually you start out like this…"

"Hello. My name is Itachi Uchiha." Kirei stood there more uninterested than ever.

"Now it's your turn." Kirei stepped back thinking whether to take a risk. Annoyed she couldn't just ignore good manners and as politely as possible replied.

"Hello. Itachi Uchiha…My name is Kirei Kaai."The attempt was very good for a 7 year old girl, but her cheek twitches were noticeable.

"So it's Kaai. Huh."

"O.K I told you my name! Now why are you here?"

"I don't know if I want to tell you, if you're going to be so mean." Infuriated Kirei clenched her fists as she tried to hold her furry inside without exploding.

"Why…Do you keep coming to this shop looking for me?"Her voice was whispered in large puffs of breaths.

"To buy your apples."

"That's not true!!" Itachi flickered back to the squealing little girl.

"You stalked me on Friday with that creepy guy!!" Itachi contemplated his answer, fact is he was stalking her but Itachi would never tell her that, He would never confess something like that.

"Stalked you? ... I was just passing by-"

"Liar!!" Kirei screamed at Itachi, demanding dominance driving through his ears. Kirei rewound the moment in her mind, thinking back to what had exactly happened. Taking a deep breath she confessed.

"No-one else was there!"

"I was there, I was on the roof." A surprised, confused look emerged on her face, Itachi carried on, describing the scene that unfolded underneath him. Kirei, shocked at the incredible detail he described, gasped in surprise.

"Yup, I saw you in trouble so I helped." Smiling in pride at his skill and strength Itachi waited for Kirei's reaction.

"S-so why did you come today?!"

"To tease you." Itachi smirked at the panicking girl, her skin went slightly pink after the pale it was before.

"Then why did you come on Monday?!"

"...I was hungry" Both the children fell silent, after Kirei regained composure and coldly spoke back.

"Just buy your apple then leave."

"Tsk, so mean" Itachi smirk twitched as he cleverly caught the attention of the now more ignorant girl.

"Do I get no thanks for saving you?" Even more frustrated Kirei screamed aloud the more or less empty street.

"FINE YOUR APPLE IS FREE!!!"

Back at the store Kirei stands next to her proud, cheery mother watching Uchiha Itachi investigate every apple in the basket situated on the counter in front of her. Itachi picks up a red apple up to his eye level, twists it, inspecting the entire apple then places it back.

"Just pick one already!!" Kirei's harsh tone forced Itachi to look up from the basket and picked up a random apple in the middle.

"Hmph, Impatient much." Itachi shoved his hand into his pocket, keeping the one with the apple near the other pocket.

"Well then-"Itachi turned around grinned gave a flickered wave and finished saying.

"-See you on Monday." Itachi continued to walk off pushing his other hand in the empty pocket. A little taken back Kirei could only watch him go past the entrance and turn down the street. Brows furrowed Kirei's anger began to build almost swearing to herself never to approach him again!

Walking up to his house Itachi opens the wooden sliding door, greeting everyone inside.

"I'm home." Taking a big bite of his free apple Itachi listens to his mother.

"Welcome home."A young female walks through the opening to the front entrance.

"Ugh. Itachi every day you come home with an apple and ruin your appetite." Itachi just continuous to munch away on the red apple.

"Where on earth do you keep getting those apples?"Loud thumping sounds rush down the stairs near the front entrance.

"YAY!" A small boy about the age of 2, who looks similarly to Itachi, ran past his mother grinning wildly.

"Big brother!!" The boy squealed and ran to his beloved elder brother, cuddling him as far as his arms could reach.

"Sasuke." Itachi put his arm around the young boy. Their mother sighed giving up on Itachi's habit of buying apples before dinner.

"Come on in Itachi..." Itachi smiled taking off his shoes, placing them in the corner, walking in following his mother and placing a hand on his bother leading him after their mother.

7


	2. Chapter 2 little spy

Chapter 2-Little spy.

**Criminal Love.**

A bright sunny day shines over the village hidden in the leaves. Clouds dotted the sky lazily floating around, shading some parts of the village with light shadows. People weaved in and out the village going about their daily business. Kirei stood at her post just outside the store, calling to the shoppers and travellers.

"Apples, Get your apples only 120ryo!"

"Great price for amazing apples!" Kirei called to the passing people, enticing them to buy the apples.

"Apples get your apples here!" A soft chuckle drew the attention of the girl. Kirei looked at the person chuckling to see the very charming Uchiha Itachi standing there keeping his hands in his pockets as always.

"Pfft, you? You're a bit late aren't you?"Kirei complained.

"I have a name you know."

"Yeah so?" Kirei said arrogantly.

"I would like you to use it."

"I'll use it when you stop annoying me. Now do you want an apple or not?"

"Hmph fine. 1 please."

"That'll be 120ryo. Thank you" Unknown to Itachi and Kirei they're being watched by someone. Sasuke, Itachi's little brother watched the two from behind a pile of boxes and crates. Across the street Sasuke watched in between the strides of the walking shoppers.

"Here it is. Hee hee Mother will be proud!" The small child giggled to himself then left to report to his mother.

Itachi walked through the front door, closing it behind himself.

"I'm home"

"With an apple again Itachi?" Itachi's mother had waited for her son to walk through the door.

"Itachi! Were you having fun with your girlfriend?" Little Sasuke poked his head around the corner to see him.

"...Girlfriend?" Surprised Itachi tried to question him, but Sasuke had run off before he had the chance.

Kirei covered her mouth yawning loudly. Itachi coolly walked up to the counter as usual.

"1 apple please."Itachi lazily leaned on the counter facing the tired girl. Kirei shrugged her shoulders, shaking her head.

"Sorry sir, sold out." Itachi lifted off the counter to face her eye to eye.

"Sold out?"

"Yeah sold out some lady bought them all." Itachi frustratingly turned away from her staring at the ground, taping his fingers noisily on the counter.

"You know, there was a little boy with her."

"He looked just like you." Itachi looked up at the girl in a revelation.

'Mother' Itachi's thoughts quietly comprehended the suspect, while a quiet set of footsteps made their way to the counter, behind Itachi.

"Well I'll just wait then."Itachi said cheekily.

"You can't do that."Kirei craned her neck past Itachi to look at the small customer that had wondered into the store.

"Welcome." Itachi checked behind him, moving out of the way to allow the small blonde girl to speak.

"I like bananas!" The little girl squeaked. Itachi and Kirei fell silent.

"Would you like to...buy one?" The girl made a very happy grin, causing Itachi and Kirei to stare.

"Miss.?"After waiting even more Kirei walked to the outside containers picking up a banana, then strides over to the little girl.

"This?" Kirei handed the girl the banana, squealing the girl grinned wildly then runs off out of the store. Kirei ignored the fact that she ran off without paying and returned behind the counter with Itachi.

"That was strange."

"Yeah." Kirei agreed watching the outside people move in and out other stores outside. Suddenly realizing Kirei pointed at Itachi and scolded him.

"What are you doing behind the counter?"

"I'm waiting."

"You can't do thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!"

"Why nooooooooooooooooooooot?"

"Because I said!" Birds flapped off into the distance, as the lazy clouds passed over and then sun began to dip into the horizon, red, pink and blue hues filled the sky. As the sun stetted under the horizon, Kirei began to close up for the night.

Kirei pushes the wheeling container into the store fitting it in the slot near the other containers between the doors, Itachi sat on the cobles elbows on knees, hands on face staring blankly out.

"Hey, you're still here? Go home!" He flicks his eyes to meet hers, she frowned sternly at him. Itachi sighed deeply putting his arms down lifting himself up off the ground, dusting off.

"Alright fine."Kirei watched Itachi walk off, then turning to the other container.

Squeaky wooden wheels rolling over cobles stopping in front of a familiar vegetable store, a large muscular man lifts up the covers on his cart, pulling out a medium sized box, walking into the store. Itachi walked into the store finding Kirei accepting a box from a man. Itachi shifted over, making way for him to walk out.

"What's that?" Kirei placed the box on the counter then swivelled round the edge, standing behind it.

"Your apples...." Kirei ducked down fishing around the draws and shelves.

"I'll have one then." Itachi inched closer to the box, as Kirei shuffled back up.

"Wait, wait. Let me open it first." Kirei held the craft knife to the taped up lid, slowly slicing the tape moving towards her. Flipping open the flaps and taking out a smaller plastic container filled with red apples.

"Pick one." Itachi smiled picking up an apple, shuffling in his pocket, pulling out the change and handing it over to Kirei outstretched hand.

"Thank you, please shop here again." Kirei's tone was much more cheery and joyfully.

"Sure will, that's if you have enough apples." Itachi smiled back and left, Kirei's eyes twinkle as she was watching him walk off.

'Faster, faster!' Itachi sped through the village, people and buildings flashing by in a blur.

'Before she gets there' Itachi skipped over a corner one more time, before sturdily skidding on the dirt, coming to a stop in front of a shop. Breathing heavily Itachi re-composes himself angrily facing the threat.

"Stop right there! Mother!" Kirei, box in hand stares at him in much confusion as a boy and woman turned facing him. Sasuke fully turned around, facing Itachi. Grinned wildly and cried.

"Yay! Big brother!" His mother turned around facing him, gasping she exclaimed.

"I-Itachi!" Itachi gasping for air he staggered lightly across to them.

"Look, Mama big brother's here! See, see?" Sasuke tugged on his mother's skirt, pointing at Itachi.

"Yes Sasuke. I see." Kirei glanced at the woman then Itachi, 'mother?' she pinched her lip with her teeth gently, watching the scene play through. Itachi stood tall to his mother.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well I was-"She was interrupted by Sasuke sprinting off, throwing himself at Itachi, snuggling him.

"We're buying all the apples." Itachi faced up from his brother, looking at his mother.

"Hmph, all?"

"Well, you always come home with one. So I thought buy them all!" Mikoto Uchiha smiled, glancing at Kirei then back at Itachi.

"Well yes then I saw what a cute girl was serving you." Itachi stepped back and at the same time Kirei and Itachi murmured an astonished "huh?" Mikoto turned glancing at both of them before speaking.

"My, my, no wonder you keep coming back and of course." Kirei's face became a bright red as she continued.

"And you would go and buy something being a cool guy." Itachi stepped back taken back by the statement.

"Th-that's not the reason! This place just has the best apples." Itachi exclaimed defensively. Mikoto winked at Itachi cheekily.

"Hmmm? But it's so much more romantic. Though you're right, best apples in konoha!" Kirei's blush deepened as her confusing thoughts spiralled through her mind.

'What? Cute? Mother? What's going on? Are they going to buy the apples or not?' Itachi's mother held her head up high, dreamily like expression on her face.

"Just imagine all the other ninja girls roving over you, but yet you go for this little fruit shop girl." Kirei froze in shock.

"Hahahaha. I wonder should I buy or not, what do you think Itachi?" Itachi angrily pouted.

"No." Sasuke looked up at him as Mikoto smiled hand signalling Sasuke to follow her.

"O.K Sasuke, let's go. Itachi wants to be alone."

"Do not!"Itachi yelled. Sasuke turned to his pretty mother.

"But I don't want to leave."He squeezed on tightly to Itachi, defiantly holding the fort.

"Don't worry, Itachi will come back home...eventually." Sasuke cutely pouted and quietly agreed, letting go of his brother. Kirei silently stood there, blush still as bright as ever, just waiting. Mikoto walked out Sasuke following and then stopping for a moment partially turning to Itachi winking.

"See you later Itachi, have fun. Come along Sasuke."

Itachi waited until his mother moved far enough away before facing Kirei. Itachi walked up to the counter, noticing Kirei still slightly red.

"Hey, you don't believe her do you? Why on earth would I like you?"Angrily, Kirei clenched her fists, tensing her shoulders, preparing herself for the explosion to come.

"What did you say?" Kirei screamed at him. Itachi merely flicked away.

"Am I too ugly for you!"

"Well you're not that pretty." Kirei's eyes clouded over, eye brows twisted downwards towards her eyes, frowning angrily. Itachi turned back at her, surprised at her expression. Suddenly in a flash of anger Kirei hurled the box at Itachi, who was only so quick enough to hold is arm up protecting himself. The box collided with him throwing apples and bits of broke plastic everywhere. Apples spun and flew over the floor, spluttering and crashing on the floors as Itachi got thrown back, splashing hi with juice and bits of soft apple. Fruit continued to bounce, tumble and roll across the floor. Itachi propped himself up on his elbows just to see her stomp up the stairs twirling to face him.

"There you have your apples! Take them all! Take them and never come back!" Itachi could only murmur a "wha-"before Kirei grasped the corner and shrieked at Itachi.

"Shut up! Go away!" Afterwards Kirei rushed up the stairs, slamming doors along the way. Itachi only stared at the stairs, slowly frowning. Itachi sat up, scanning at the mess of crushed apples and juice spread over the floor.

"What a mess." Itachi wiped off the juices on his face, staring at his hand before wiping it off on his pants.

Itachi was left to sit alone in the quite store.

4


	3. Chapter 3

Criminal Love-Chapter 3

**Criminal Love**

Kirei lay in bed, face planted on her pillow. Several days have passed since the incident and she has refused to work after school hours. She sighed, turning over on her back, staring at her white ceiling. Suddenly there were loud knocks at the window next to her bed. Kirei shifted upwards looking out the window as a fist continued to knock off to the side, concealing them. She opened the window poking her head out, around the corner sat Itachi. He sat on the roof that jutted out on top of the window that protecting it from rain. He sat coolly with his hands in his pockets; he confidently began to speak to Kirei.

"I-"Itachi was suddenly cut off with the window coming to a slamming shut. Kirei huffed ducking under the covers keeping her hands holding the covers over her head. Itachi sat up knocking loudly, faster and longer than before, persistently annoying Kirei to come out and talk. Finally Itachi stopped, still holding his hand up high he sighed then stood up and jumped, disappearing into the crowds.

'Is he done? Meany! Who does he think he is? How did he find my window? He probably spied on me or something!' Kirei lay in bed clenching her pillow.

'Creep! Next time he's around I'll hit him!' Kirei flumped over onto her pillow head first, frustratingly grumbling to herself.

A new morning dawned over the ninja village, hidden in the leaves. Ninja and non-ninja villagers' alike continued o their daily lives as always, the sun drew over head the village in a bright sunny fashion. Birds chirped and tweeted to themselves high in the trees above Kirei. She sat lonely staring at her cup of tea at the small tea shop out near a park, not far from her house. She sighed as a familiar boy melancholy walked up to her hunched sombrely figure.

"Hey..." Itachi spoke softly careful not to upset her anymore. He bent over to take a good look at her face.  
"I think you should go back to the shop." She looked up slowly at him, and then just as slowly faced away.

"Really..." Kirei subtly pinched her lip, clenching her cup tighter; her subtleness didn't fool a trained almost-ninja. Itachi squinted watching her moves carefully. In a flurry Kirei stood up, tossing the cup away then facing to Itachi, balling her fist she wound up her arm and thrusted it at his face. Surprised by her, he steadied his composition preparing for the hit. Contact. Itachi's face twisted and deformed for a brief second and was thrown back from the girl, landing butt first on the dirt. Sitting up quickly he held his hand to his red cheek, angrily he complained.

"What was that for?"Kirei held her hands on her hips, flicking her head off to the side.

"That was for spying on me through my window!"

"What?" Kirei kept her eyes closed but her face twitched. Creases began to show on her furious face, she turned, fists balled and squeezing tightly. She exploded at Itachi pointing at him and was definably not going to listen to reason.

"DON'T LIE TO ME! YOU SPIED ON ME!"

"Did not."

"YOU DID! HOW ELSE WOULD YOU FIND MY WINDOW!" Itachi sat up facing her defiantly.

"Why are you so mad at me?"

"DON'T CHANGE THE SUBJECT!" Kirei bent over, breathing heavily, sweat dripped down her forehead.

"I just want to know." Kirei's furry grew then finally shouted at Itachi.

"Shut up! Go away!" Then sprinted off.

Kirei staggered through a small shopper's district. Still huffed and frustrated, her balled fists constantly changing from clasped to un-clasped. Loud stomping footsteps approached her from behind, mostly annoyed Kirei turned around, facing the runner. Kirei turned fully around, footsteps ceasing as soon as she turns, nothing but shops and a few people dotting around. Kirei, bewildered, looked down shaking it off as just hearing things. She turned back around-face to face to a familiar stern boy. Shocked Kirei took a few steps back, Itachi dangerously took steps forward.

"Answer me."

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Because! ...Just go away!"

"That's not an answer."

"Because..." Kirei squeezed her eyes shut, tensing up her shoulders. Before lifting up her head and yelling at him.

"I DON'TWANT YOU TO KNOW" Earning some looks for passer bys, Kirei huffed and then sprinted off again, bumping into Itachi's shoulder along the way. Speeding away into the distance, Uchiha Itachi watched her from the slight turned corner of his eye. He faced forward again, cursing under her breath.

Kirei lay in her bed, face planted into her pillow, sobbing in tears. Kirei's mother stood outside her shut door, knocking on it.

"Kirei...? Are you alright?" Loud sobs could be heard from outside the door, as the concerned mother waited outside worryingly.

"No leave me alone!"

"Leave her alone, Aoi." A deep male voice addressed the mother from downstairs. Aoi turned away from the door.

"O.K I'm leaving now." Kirei wailed loudly, echoing down to the kitchen where Kirei's father sat at their small table reading the paper. As the crying got louder and louder, Kirei's father frustratingly threw down the paper, rolling it up. Kirei wailed into the soaking pillow, the door to her bedroom slammed open as her father Koramaru balanced on one leg, the other in the air as if he kicked it. Silence domained the room as Kirei looked up from the pillow. Koramaru walked over to his only daughter and kneeled down to her level.

"What's the matter sweet pea? It better not be some boy." Kirei bit her lip and her eyes began to water.

"IT IS!" Kirei exploded in tears, squishing her face into the much needed to be dried pillow. Koramaru gasped slightly, then leaned in more menacingly.

"What? What did he do to you" Kirei faced her father, continuing to sob.

"He-he called me ugly" Koramaru stood up then leaned over Kirei's bed.

"Called you ugly? But you're the prettiest girl all around!" Koramaru waved the rolled up newspaper around.

"Next time you see him you punch him! Got it!" Aoi stood behind the door, gaping at her husband. Kirei sobbed wiping away tears.

"But-but...I did!" Koramaru stood tall, gripping the paper tightly.

"Good girl, now next is... to kick him!" Kirei cuddled her pillow.

"But...he moves too fast for me..." Koramaru held the paper in his fist, punching it into his open palm.

"Then sneak attack him." Kirei peered up at her father, quietly whispering.

"But I never seem to find him..."

"Then I'll-"Aoi has had enough of her husband's talk and walk up to him, pinching his ear.

"GEH! Ow, ow ow ow ow." Aoi dragged Koramaru to his knees, then continued out the door.

"Now, now Koramaru you're not going to beat up a child." Aoi turned around still gripping Koramaru.

"Oh and Kirei...violence is not an answer." Aoi flipped back around dragging him on the cold wooden floor. As Koramaru is being moved away he whispers to Kirei hiding his mouth from his wife.

"Remember, sneak attack!" Kirei sat up whispering back.

"Right, thanks Dad." Nodding as well while Aoi shuts her door, Kirei smiled to herself, laying her head down and falling asleep.

Outside Kirei's window, Itachi sat. Gulping down worryingly, tensely sitting against the concrete wall.

'Oh god...' Itachi bit his lip re-thinking what had he just listened into. 'Mental note to self; never ever call a girl ugly or unattractive.' He took in deep breaths, checking back through the window. 'I should probably apologize...but how? I have to do it before I get "sneak attacked"' Itachi leaned down sighing, 'Tsk, I should get home first, think on it later...' Itachi yawned loudly, getting up then zooming away.

Kirei sat at the counter leaning on her palm. She leaned back yawning covering her mouth with her hand, footsteps walked into the store, Kirei blinked a couple times before looking up at the customer.

"One apple please." Itachi stood in front of the counter, cheek bruised and sternly watching her. Kirei frowned at him, watching carefully as well.

"Of course, 120ryo thank you..." Itachi rustled through his pocket throwing the coins onto the counter, never disconnecting eye contact. The coins bounced and twirled around settling down on the counter n front of Kirei. Kirei lifted an apple from underneath the counter, dumping it on the table. Itachi slid his hand across to the apple, wrapping his fingers around the apple, taking the fruit shoving it into his pocket. Itachi looked away from her eyes, turning around, waving.

"Well...see you..." Itachi's ears lightly pounded with the sound of his heartbeat, walking towards the entrance hauntingly slow. He glances back a few times, at the entrance he stops and signs in relief.

Footsteps stomp across the floor, Itachi turns around in surprise. Bang! Echoing sounds of hitting and repetitive ringing metal re-sound in the street.

"Oooooh...ung..." Itachi lay on his side, Kirei standing above him frying pan held high. Itachi's head now had large lumps of red, stinging with pain.

"Ow...What was that for?" Kirei lay the frying pan down by her side.

"Hmph! For being a jerk!"

"Since when?" Kirei lifted her arms up in a shrugging fashion.

"Well...There's the time where you time where you threw money at my head, stalked me, spied on me through my window, insulted me!" Itachi sat up facing the floor.

"Alright, alright, I get it. I'm sorry, for..."

"For..."Kirei's lips whispered the words before fading away.

Itachi's hand spread up against the alley way's wall. He stared across to the other wall, thinking over what happened 'worst apology ever.' Steps started running towards his hiding spot.

"Where is he?" Loud voices echoed through the streets in the darkening light. Itachi gasped and turned the other way, jumping over the nearby fence. Footsteps walked up to the alley way, stopping.

"How about in here?"

"Nothing." Itachi sat behind the fence peering through a hole in the fence. A young girl's voice spoke quietly.

"You're eye sight must be getting bad, Dad." Itachi sighed, turning over leaning on the wood as the voices faded away.

"Come on...let's go home." Itachi sat staring looking at the clouded sky. 'For...being the only one to be able to look you straight in the face' Itachi bent over, leaning on his hands frustrated. 'What the hell was I thinking?' Itachi's thoughts went back to that moment.

Kirei sternly stared at Itachi; he gaped at her disbelieving what he had said.

"Aaah..." Kirei trembled clenching the frying pan tight. She threw her head up in loud shout.

"Daddy!" A loud bang surprised Itachi; he sat watching the dark shadows of the store glow with the eyes of something menacing and demonic slowly stomp towards him. Kirei sobbed and wiped her eyes, as the demonic being appeared before him.

"What's the matter sweetie? Is it that boy again?" Kirei's father clenched his teeth together, malicious aura pulsed from him and the murderous intent in his eyes would have made the biggest bear wet himself before running off, tail between his legs. Kirei continued to sob, pointing over to where Itachi was standing.

"There..." Koramaru turned over, glaring at the empty dirt.

"There's no one there." Kirei looked up from her hand, checking the dirt for herself then facing her strong father. She turned around scanning the streets.

"He- He must of run away." Kirei turned catching a glimpse of a scrap of dirt fly through the air, around the corner of a nearby building.

Itachi relaxed a bit, sighing before speeding away from the hiding spot.

The sun shone brightly, creating dark shadows on the faces of the mountain side, the faces of the past leaders of the village, the hokages. Kirei frustratingly leaned on her palm, staring at the cleanly swept wooden floor. Sasuke walked up to the counter, greeting Kirei.

"Hello."

"Hi." Sasuke smiled at Kirei.

"My brother sent me to buy an apple, since he didn't want to be hit again." Kirei smiled taking out the apple.

"I guess, you haven't done anything to me. Besides you're so cute." Sasuke looked at her strangely before handing the money on the counter. Sasuke took the apple and left, waving at Kirei, Kirei waved back.

Sasuke walked up to Itachi, who was waiting patiently outside a nearby convenience store. Sasuke handed Itachi the apple.

"Here."

"What happened?" Sasuke shuffled in his spot, hiding his hands behind his back.

"Nothing."

"I don't believe that." Sasuke looked up at Itachi, smiling cutely.

"She called me cute."

"Ha-ha, did she now? I never got called cute." Itachi chomped into the apple, sombrely staring at the ground. Sasuke giggled.

"What?" Itachi watched the boy blush and grin in a cheeky manor.

"I got called cute "

"Pfft."

The sun shone on the leafy village, women and men strayed through the streets.

Kirei carried a basket of large radishes placing them in their rightful place on the shelves. Footsteps made their way towards the store. Itachi stood hands on pockets, watching Kirei.

"Am I allowed in yet?"

"Hmph! Depends." Kirei turned away, flicking her ponytail along the way.

"I'm...sorry. I meant it as..." Kirei stopped, listening to him. Itachi went on.

"Your beauty was just too blinding." Kirei blushed turning around facing him with a smile.

"Re.." Kirei's spine tingled and the hairs on the back of Kirei's neck stood tall. There Itachi stood, eyes fixed on a small card in his hand. Kirei gripped the basket tighter, yelling in disbelief.

"You-you're using a card?" Itachi glanced upwards before fully facing her.

"Yes." Kirei puffed her cheeks up childishly.

"I thought you meant it you Meany!" Itachi expressionlessly replied.

"Well at least I said something nice."

"But you didn't mean it!" Itachi took a step towards her, talking while walking further.

"Well I'm trying." Kirei swivelled away, facing the shelves.

"Hmph! Well it doesn't sound like it!" She dumped the radishes one by one in the boxed shelf.

"I spent all that time to write up this card." Itachi stood a few feet in the store, Kirei flicked around, swinging her arms in argument.

"Yeah right! Like five minutes! You think that just letting your little brother buy your apples for a few weeks, will just magically make me forget!" Itachi made a concerned face, as she continued to scream at him.

"Well no! I didn't forget! I STILL REMEMBER!" Kirei breathed heavily, while Itachi lay his head down in thought. He glanced up a couple times, blush glowing on his face. He stepped forward.

"I'm sorry...you're the prettiest girl I've ever seen; apart from my mother." Itachi quickly glanced back down, heart beat increasing every empty second.

"...really?" Itachi flickered upwards for a moment before answering.

"...yeah." Kirei smiled brightly rosily cheeks brimmed.

"I guess I could sell you some apples. Just let me finish up." Kirei dumped the rest of the radishes in the shelf. Itachi stayed silent, red faced watching her move behind the counter, picking the basket of apples out of the enclosed shelves.

"O.K come and pick one. And for you half price."Itachi picked the apple, as a large dark shadow loomed over the store.

"That'll be 60ryo." STOMP! Itachi and Kirei turned facing the loud noise. There stood a large man, menacingly standing over the small children.

"I hear rumours that is one of the best vegetable shops...I would like to buy some vegetables."

6


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - Problems

**Criminal Love**

The Large man munched on his newly bought carrots as he waddled out the store. Kirei waved at him stuttering the line.

"C-come again!" Itachi walk past the customer into the store. Kirei sighed sinking into a depressed slump.

"What's the matter?" Itachi held his hands in his pockets while Kirei sat up, leaning on her palm in a not-so happy way.

"Nothing" Itachi perked a small smile tilting his head to face hers.

"You can tell me."

"No I can't you're a customer."

"Am I not your friend?"

"No" Itachi's smile quickly disappeared, looking away at the shelves.

"Hmph, fine. I'll just have an apple then." Itachi faced back at Kirei, raising an eyebrow as she leaned over the counter at Itachi. She then pointed at his forehead.

"What's this?" Itachi quickly covered his forehead with his hands, smirking at her.

"I'll tell you, if you tell me what's wrong." Kirei looked away pouting.

"Hmm...fine" Kirei faced Itachi then pointed to the empty shelf next her.

"You see this shelf, it should be full of carrots" She then pointed out the open walled entrance.

"But that guy bought them all."

"I don't get it. Isn't that good?" Kirei slammed her hand down, scolding him.

"Let me finish!" Itachi flinched before she continued.

"It's O.K but he continuously buys our produce. It takes weeks for us to restock. Since we get our vegetables from outside the village that means we'll have nothing to sell, with nothing to sell we'll have no customers. No one wants to visit a store with nothing to buy. That means we'll go out of business! Not even you will be able to come around"

"Huh...Why don't you just get vegetables from inside the village?" Kirei got off the counter and made an angry face.

"Do you want us to be the same as every other vegetable shop?"

"Uh..."

"Buying outside the village makes us special but it's very risky so we don't advertise, otherwise this kind of thing would happen and now that it has happened we're going to have a hard time...Alright I told you, now it's your turn" Itachi watched her, then looked up and sighed. He turned and threw his thumb up pointing at the object.

"This...this is..."

"That is..." He paused before facing her fully closing one eye as if preparing for another impact.

"My...ninja head band..."

"That-that's it?...your ninja head band?"

"Y-yeah" Itachi spoke but secretly he was a little confused. Kirei puffed her cheeks a little angrily and Itachi, confuse tilted and made a face. Kirei sighed and asked.

"What's a ninja head band?"

"You...don't know?"

"No"

"A ninja's headband is the proof that he or she has graduated from the school and became a ninja. Each ninja headband has the symbol from where the ninja came from, since we're in the village hidden in the leaves, my headband has the village's symbol" Kirei rubbed her chin, thinking about what he had said.

"Ninja huh...hmm..." Kirei made a serious face at Itachi.

"I don't believe you" Itachi smirked, shifting the headband up and down.

"It's right here, on my forehead" Kirei stamped her hand on her hip, swirling her other finger at Itachi.

"Prove it"

"Easy, what do you want me to do?" Kirei grinned evilly.

Itachi breathed heavily, sweat poured off his face and dangling hair strands toward the ground. Kirei held her binoculars up high.

"Almost there 'ninja'! Ha-ha" Itachi held himself upside down on a telephone wire, high above the streets, keeping a metal bucket filled with water on his blue open toed sandals. He kept both hands clamped almost all the time, feet poised, stabilizing the water full bucket.

'What does she think a ninja is? A super hero?' Itachi lifted one hand up, nervously swinging it before grasping the thick rubber, feet oh so slightly tipping side to side, metal handles clang against the bucket as water flicks and drips everywhere. Kirei boardly watch the bucket sway more and more. Finally the bucket spills, flipping off, splashing water. Itachi looked up cursing.

"Heh heh guess you're not so ninja after all" Itachi sat on the ground, drenched folded his arms in a stubborn way, keeping the towel around his shoulders.

"What? Nothing? You're not going to say anything? Come on say something...do you want another towel?" Itachi frowned, angrily glaring.

"You can give back that towel tomorrow, but I think you should go home now..." Kirei dangled his bag in front of him, hand on hip with a cheeky smirk on her face. Itachi flicked off her confident smirk and tone, standing up taking the bag.

"Tomorrow" Itachi slung the shoulder bag over his head then headed off into the distance, Kirei watched him slouch over, walking back home.

Itachi entered his clan's residential area; he noticed that his bag was heavier than before. He rummaged his hand through the bag, finding the weight he took it out. Looking at the object and smiled, putting in his pocket then continued his way home.

Sasuke tugged his shorts on when he heard someone open and close the front door.

"I'm home" Itachi completely shut the door when Sasuke came running around the corner.

"Brother!" Sasuke stopped in front of him.

"Why are you so wet?" Itachi smiled holding up his free apple.

"No reason"

Pencil crossed a line over a list of vegetables and fruit, all with numbers next to them. Kirei sighed, leaning on her palm she mumbled.

"This is hopeless..." Loud cries startled Kirei as a passing peddler cried to the public, followed by small carts and pushers. She sighed leaning on her palms. Vision became blurry and fuzz was the only thing she could see. Kirei leaned on her arms, softly breathing as she slept peacefully.

"Hey!" Itachi stood in front of the dozy girl, Kirei woke sharply, wobbly sitting up, rubbing her eyes.

"Heh? What?"

"Don't sleep on your job" Kirei held her hand in front of her mouth, yawning deeply. Itachi held out a towel to the counter.

"Your towel"

"Oh yeah! Thanks"

"You still want to prove to me that you're a ninja?" Itachi shrugged.

"Err...I think I'll past" Kirei giggled, smiling cutely.

"Alright maybe later"

"How 'bout apple?" Itachi shrugged then kept his hands in his pockets.

"Sure, but I can't stay I have a mission today" Kirei stood up quickly, pounding her palms on the table.

"Oooooooh! A mission? What kind! Are you going to fight baddies? Oh! Oh! Solve mysteries! Help the poor!" The cute girl rambled on and on about heroic duties and deeds.

"Uuuuh...I think it'll be a cleanup job"

'Her expectations are still too high...' Itachi thought to himself.

"Cleanup? That's dumb!" She sat back down, folding her arms in disappointment.

"I know it's dumb. But I only just became a ninja so don't expect anything besides the starter stuff"

"Hmph" Kirei sat arms crossed staring at the counter.

"Kirei, Where are you?" Kirei's father walked down the stairs happily grinning.

"Kirei, I have a present for you" Koramaru stopped at the bottom of the stairs noticing Itachi at the counter.

"Who's this?" He stepped forward pointing at him.

"Who is this **boy****!**"

"Oh, this is Uchiha Itachi. He comes and buys apples every day..."

"A customer, huh? Apples, huh? Tell me 'Uchiha' what interest do you have in my daughter?"

"Daddy!"

"Well? Do you? Or do you not?" Itachi remained calm and answered appropriately.

"I actually don't have any interest in your daughter, just the apples"

"No interest huh? Not good enough for you huh? Too ugly!" Itachi found how repetitive this family was was annoying.

"Can I just have my apple please" Koramaru angrily stood tall against him, shifting his arm over to Kirei, like a commanding officer giving orders to the battalion.

"You want your apple, fine! Have one then leave! Kirei!" Kirei ducted underneath the counter grabbing the apple.

"Y-yes!" Then throwing the fruit at Itachi, who was hands out, catching readily.

"Here!"

"Alright! You have your apple now leave!" Itachi walked out the store waving back at Kirei.

"Bye!" Kirei's father screeched in a shudder.

"LEAVE!" Itachi disappeared behind the crowd and Kirei turned to her father.

"Alright you chased him away, what is it?"

"Oh, I just remembered" Her father lifted out a parcel tied in a pretty ribbon from behind his back.

"Tada" Kirei took the parcel placing it on her lap, twiddling with the ribbon.

"What is it?"

"Your mother and I talked about it and we agreed" Kirei tore the ribbon from the wrapping then dug her nails into the flimsy paper, tarring the wrapping away from a fabric material.

"You can have it" Kirei lifted the garment up, stretching the sleeves up getting a god look.

"Really? What for?" Kirei gave a big grin, turning the jacket/dress around, pressing it up against her body, comparing the sizes.

"Well, it seems that you might have to do a big favour for us"

"A favour?" Koramaru put a hand onto her shoulder, leaning down to her level.

"You might have to go out of the village for a while for mummy and daddy"

"W-why can't daddy go?...o-out of the village?" He leaned down further, kneeling on the floor on one knee, directly facing her.

"Don't worry you can do it!"You're my little girl after all!" Kirei tiered up a bit.

"W-when?"

"...soon"

"Soon...?" Kirei faced down, sniffling.

"I see..."

"Hey don't worry... Daddy will meet up with you after a few days. Besides we're not going to send you out on your own!" Kirei looked up slightly.

"Really?"

"Of course! Far too dangerous on your own! So we're hiring a team ninja, just for you!" Kirei lifted her head up, smiling and cheering happily.

"Wow so cool!" Kirei held her father's hands.

"Will we able to fight bad guys or- or..."

"God! I hope not!" Kirei let go of her father, squishing her cheeks, gazing just past her father-daydreaming in wonder.

"Oooooh! I wonder what the ninjas will look like." Koramaru sighed.

"My, my..." Kirei grasped her new jacket, eyes gleaming.

"When will I leave?"

"Soon soon..."

"Today?"

"No, calm down!" Kirei stood up grinning happily.

"Oh! I'll pack now!" Kirei ran up the stairs calling to her mother.

"MAMA! WHERE'S MY BAG!" Koramaru barely got to turn around before she started cluttering up her room with clothes bags and various other things.

"Wait..." Koramaru sighed and then smiled at his little girl.

Leaves drooped off the trees swaying gently as they fell to the ground. Itachi walked into the store head down, sighing. Kirei lifted her watering can away from the boxes of vegetables, looking up at Itachi she smiled and greeted him.

"Oh! Hi Itachi!" Itachi looked up at her in surprise.

"You-you used my name." Kirei looked back at him, grinning.

"Of course silly!" Itachi pulled his face back into an emotionless expression.

"What are you doing?" Kirei tipped the big metal can over the veggies, spraying them with fresh water, rinsing them of old leaves and other things.

"Watering"

"Wouldn't that just make the wood wet?"

"Well it would but there's a draining system underneath"

"Oh" After tipping the rest of the water in the last shelf, Kirei took the watering can and faced Itachi, who was standing in the entrance.

"You're here for an apple right?" Kirei swirled around, humming a tune, skipping along to the counter.

"Why are you so cheery? Aren't you all sad about what's happening?" Kirei put the can next to the base of the stairs and then bounced off behind the counter.

"Oh...no reason" Kirei pulled out the apple from the cupboards.

"That'll be 60ryo"Kirei continued humming away while Itachi walked up to the counter, ruffling his pocket for change, then dumps many coins on the counter, twirling and bouncing around.

"Wha-what? Why so much?"

"For today's, yesterday's and the day before's"

"Oh" Itachi took the apple and the spare change back into his pocket, then faced her.

"Are you sure that you have no reason to be cheery?"

"...well..." Kirei grinned and looked up at the ceiling, dreamily explained to Itachi.

"I'm going on an adventure soon!"

"Adventure?"

"Yeah and I'm going to have ninja's to take care of me! Isn't that cool!"

"Uh...yeah, cool..." Itachi relaxed, keeping his hands in his pocket.

"So when are you leaving?"

"Daddy said in about a week!"

"A week huh?"

"Yeah it sounds like fun!"

"Hmm"

Kirei shuffled the straps around of her bag; Koramaru put a hand on her daughter.

"The team will be waiting at the gate for us, come on now, we'll be late" Aoi hugged her daughter, kissing her head, then fussed about with her hair.

"Good luck honey, I'll be waiting right here for you." Kirei smiled back at her mother and then followed her father waving back at her teary mother.

"We're here"

"Oooooh!" Kirei and Koramaru stood by the shops near the large gate to the village hidden in the leaves. People and peddlers crossed the concrete base of the gate; ninjas zoomed out the large gapping open gate. Kirei sprinted off away from her father to the giant doors.

"I'll just wait here for- hey!"

"Oooooh!" Kirei stood underneath the wall of concrete and wood, staring straight up, twirling and swirling at foot of the gate.

"Kirei! Stay inside the gate! Wait for your body guards!" Just behind Koramaru three blurred images landed in the blink of an eye.

"Mr. Kaai I presume" Kirei turned around, looking over all the people to her father with some strangers.

A tall man approached Koramaru with two young children.

"Team 14 reporting for duty, I'm Kumomaru and we're your body guards, we're just waiting on one more members" Koramaru bowed politely but Kumomaru just waved it off.

"Please take care of my daughter"

"No need to be so formal, please" One of the younger ninja accompanying Kumomaru saw Kirei running back towards the group 'is that a cute girl over there! Finally my chance to score, without "little prodigy" showing up!' Kirei waved at the group franticly, just missing a mover's cart.

'She's coming over here! Is she the person we're supposed to protect?'

"Rentaro, Koenmaru. That girl coming our way, we will be guarding her while she does some business, her father will join up with her after a few days" Koenmaru grinned slyly, Rentaro noticed his creepy smile and sighed 'that look...he's at it again...'

'Pretty pretty client heh heh' suddenly a flash teleported itself behind Rentaro, standing up tall to them, flicking his black hair.

"Sorry for being late..." Koenmaru wild grin easily fell to an annoyed frown, Kirei just reached the group greeted by the leader but mostly ignored as she caught her breath. Koramaru caught sight of the new member and quickly flicked to angry-over-protective-father mode at the familiar face.

"You!" Koramaru pointed at him in disgust, Itachi merely was surprised to see him there. As the rest of the group all looked at Itachi he noticed Kirei standing there in her new jacket. 'Kirei's here?' While Itachi just watched Kirei both Rentaro and Kumomaru thought 'Has Itachi done something wrong?' All Koenmaru thought was how scary Kirei's father was. Koramaru dived in front of his daughter arms wide, glaring at Itachi.

"You're not getting my daughter!"Kirei stared at him in shocking horror. Blushing in embarrassment she smacked her palm against her forehead, hiding her face from the ninjas. Kumomaru glanced at her father and Itachi back and forth.

"I think you've misunderstand something Kaai-san, Itachi's our team member" Itachi's heart at that moment sunk to the bottom of his stomach 'K-Kirei's our client?' Itachi's face darkened and his eye twitched. Koramaru stayed silent glaring at Itachi, then he leaned over Itachi, malice echoed from him.

"You get lucky this time..." Koramaru stood back up then eyes closed, he guided their vision to his infuriated daughter with the outstretch of his arm.

"Alright, I'll entrust my daughter in your hands...for now"

Koenmaru only stood and decided that he should never approach Kirei near Kirei's dad.

"Well now that everything's sorted out, let's go" The team then nodded and chanted their disciplinary "yes". Kirei confused watched Itachi in his "solitude" ninja mode. Koramaru faced and leaned down to Kirei smiling proudly at her.

"Take care sweetie, I'll be with you soon" Angrily Kirei turned and stomped off to the wide open doors of the outside world. While walking past Koramaru glared and mouthed "Stay away from my daughter" Itachi glared back, the tense atmosphere made it that you could almost see lightning fight it's way between Itachi's and Koramaru's glares. Kumomaru ignored them and nodded at the rest of the group.

"Well that's our cue" Koenmaru watched Kirei clenched her knuckles and make the dust fly with her stomping feet walk 'alone time! Itachi may have somehow know her, but it seems I may still have a chance!' Koramaru faced Kumomaru and sombrely spoke in a hushed voice.

"Please...please take care of my daughter" Kumomaru smiled and said in a cheerful tone.

""Of course! You can count on us"

"...thank you" Kirei stood tapping impatiently arms crossed at the base of the gate. Itachi approached her in a slow pace; Koenmaru sprinted towards Itachi to beat him before Itachi reached her.

After the travelling team met up, they left in a line shaped formation. Koramaru waved at his only daughter, Kirei waving her arm in the air like she's swatting flies.

"Bye daddy!"

"...Take care"

The group walked off into the distance, Koramaru watched Kirei begging her safety on this mission.

Hello all I just want to say... I'm horrible at names; I even borrowed a name off another story on here. Just the name, not the character (sorry forgot what story) so yup...that's all, currently typing up the next chapter, it's pretty epic actually.

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	5. Chapter 5I will see you again

Chapter 5- I will see you again.

**Criminal Love.**

Kirei took a deep breath of the fresh woodland scent of the surrounding trees as she marched down the path with the group.

"The outside is so wonderful! So spacey! So fresh! So-so..." The group sounded off starting with Koenmaru.

"Amazing?" Then Kumomaru.

"Beautiful?" And Rentaro.

"Dangerous?"And finally Itachi.

"Boring?"

"Yeah! Boring!" They remained silent as Kirei kicked pebbles around.

"I mean there's nothing here!"

"Just a whole lot of useless trees!" Kirei cried out into the forest, her voice faded into the foliage, due to the sheer mass of it all.

"Well if there were any bad guys hiding on those useless trees, I would be the first one to save you!" Kirei, Itachi, Rentaro and Kumomaru stared at Koenmaru, all with their eye brows questioning him.

"I-I mean if we were to be attacked right now I'd be right up front defending you, 'cause that's just how I am." Rentaro and Itachi half lidded annoying thought 'again?' Kumomaru swung his arm around Koenmaru's neck, locking him in place, almost keeping him off the ground.

"Again Koenmaru? How many times must I tell you, flirting with the client is not going to get you anywhere" Kirei peered from behind Itachi, surprised at the teachers methods. But both Rentaro and Itachi just thought 'serves you right!'

"Besides, you all know I'm way faster than you" Koenmaru stared up at Kumomaru, scheming to himself.

The sun settled behind the mountains in the distance, the sky's colour constantly changed hues of blue, black, pink, orange and red. Kumomaru stood in front of the group, who had just sat their bags down.

"I think this is a good spot to rest, O.K Itachi; you and Kirei search for some firewood. Rentaro food and Koenmaru you guard our bags"

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?" Koenmaru sank shaking his hands at Kumomaru.

"No complaining, now go, we don't have much time" Itachi tugged at Kirei's sleeve.

"Come on" Kirei nodded and proceeded to follow him into the forest, while Koenmaru watched everyone leave puffing up his cheeks glaring at the pair. 'He purposely gave them alone time, I'll change that'

Kirei reached down to pick up a stick, balancing the bundle of them on her lap with her arm. Itachi approached her carrying his own bundle.

"Just a few more then we should be done"

"'k" Loud rustles caught the attention of the two.

"D-did you hear that?" Kirei dropped the bundle and quivered, scanning at the forest.

"Yeah..."

"Wu-wha..."

"Don't worry, it's nothing...it's only Koenmaru" Koenmaru gasped, then flipped upside down hanging on the large tree branch closest to the ground, making lots of noise and throwing leaves everywhere.

"H-how you!" Itachi cut him off casually.

"Aren't you suppose to be guarding our bags?" Koenmaru clung to the branch staring at the two; Kirei re-cradled her sticks and stared at him childishly thinking 'he's in the tree'

"I'm still guarding"

"Well what are you doing here?" Koenmaru gave a sly smile at Kirei.

"I just thought Kirei would like some more protection..."

"No thanks" Koenmaru quickly stopped smiling and remained silent.

"Go back Koenmaru...Before Kumomaru-sensei finds out"

"He won't, he won't"

"I'm sure the shadow clone jutsu won't last long"

"Well Kirei's more important" Koenmaru then realized what Itachi had said, and flexed back over, clinging the branch with one arm, making him slightly more the right way up.

"Wait- how?"

"Easy" Koenmaru frowned and glared at Itachi, he then let go of the branch, flipping twice before landing on his feet. Leaves rained down as he stood tall.

"You think you're so cool? Just because you got out of school early, you think that if someone attacks that'll you'll be able to protect her? Well maybe she needs someone older, maybe a man, someone like, like...like me!" Kirei stared; eyebrow raised and glanced back and forth form Itachi and Koenmaru. Itachi made a confused face.

"Older? You? A Man? Kirei's only eight years old, the same as me" Koenmaru's hard angry expression changed to a very surprised and a little embarrassed one.

"w-what? W-w-wait eight years old? Are you sure?" Kirei perked up a proud smile.

"Yup! I turned eight a while ago" Koenmaru scratched the back of his head, and made a please-forgive-me-and-never-tell-anyone-of-this smile.

"I see...ha ha then this is one big misunderstanding ha ha ha ha...ha...well, I, uh better get to those bags then, ha ha" Kirei and Itachi watched in silence as he clapped his hands together and POOFED into a big puff of smoke, disappearing in the process. Kirei cuddled the sticks tighter gasping and leaning forward.

"Whoa!" Itachi glanced at her then scowling he stared at the ground.

"That was cool! He just went poof!" Itachi cut her off lifting up away from the ground and immediately changing topic.

"Let's hurry and get the rest of the fire wood"

"Can you..." Itachi cut her off again.

"It's getting late, let's go" He then marched off into the dark forest, Kirei watched him frowning in confusion.

The moon shone with its friendly stars in the sky, clouds rolled over the lights as the night's cool air flickered the fire. Kumomaru stood in front of the fire admiring the work.

"Good job Itachi, Kirei, you got enough for spares as well"

"MMM! MMM!" Koenmaru struggled, trying to release his bound hands and body. He kicked and swung his torso left and right, trying to get loose. His gagged mouth only allowed him to make muffled noises. Rentaro sat gutting the fish in front of the tree stump that Koenmaru was tied to.

"Rentaro, how's the fish going?"

"MM! MM!"

"Just one more and I'll be done"

"MM!" Koenmaru momentarily stopped thrashing and breathed deeply through his nose 'Damn it Itachi, How did he know I used shadow clone jutsu? Why did I even bother? Maybe then Kumomaru-sensei wouldn't have caught me...'

"Good we'll start dinner then, you guys can set up your beds when the foods cooking" Kirei sat with Itachi in the large field, Kirei looked back at Itachi but he flicked away from her.

"'k..." Kirei frowned 'Is he mad?'

The large pot bubbled as the aroma wafted in to the nights sky, Kumomaru held the lid in his hand squatting in front of the hot pot, inhaling the scents.

"Mmm...Smells nice...You guys ready for dinner?" the lined up group of children simultaneously nodded at murmured a yes. Koenmaru flailed around in his bounds on his bed, as the rest got handed a bowl of fish stew, Kirei held her sleeping bag over her head, huddling underneath. Koenmaru stopped and collapsed onto the bed, stomach growling loudly 'Kumomaru-sensei you're so cruel'

"Ha ha sounds like _someone's_ hungry, maybe you shouldn't have tried to spy on Itachi and Kirei. Anyway, it seems after tonight we'll be stopping at a small village" Koenmaru's stomach continued to growl as Rentaro exclaimed.

"A small village? Finally no more sleeping on the ground" Kirei and Itachi remained silent watching Kumomaru-sensei pour stew into his bowl.

Koenmaru's stomach continued to growl, as they progressed through the tall trees.

"Honestly are you ever not hungry?" He clenched his stomach and moaned.

"Hey, Kumomaru-sensei, when are we getting there?" Rentaro retorted annoying.

"We'll get there, when we'll get there" Kumomaru stopped, halting the following children.

"There" The short children peered from behind him, gasping and smiling at the small but very significant gates to the village.

"We're here" They ran off to the side lining up marvelling at civilisation. Kumomaru continued in and they followed, after a short walk Kumomaru stopped and faced them.

"Feel free to spot some good looking inns" Kirei nodded absently.

"'k" The rest nodded and chanted.

Kirei and the others stood outside a small building as Kumomaru spoke to the receptionist, Kirei watched the small crowd of people walk past, gasped and exclaimed.

"Is that you Hananoko?" A small girl in a light pink dress turned around, noticed Kirei.

"Kirei!"

Kirei stood with her friend chatting.

"What you're all alone?" Kirei grinned, throwing her thumb over her shoulder to the curious group watching her.

"No way! My parents hired some ninja to protect me!" Kumomaru walked up to them, swinging the door open, while the rest of the group watched Kirei noticing her pointing at them 'is she showing us off?' Hananoko smiled

"Whoa! So cool!" Hananoko held Kirei's hands and jumped up and down in glee.

"Its soo cool how you came!"

"Yeah! Yeah!"

"So what are you doing here?"

"Oh we're just passing through"

"Where are you going?" Itachi approached the bouncy girls and cleared his throat; the girls stopped and let go, facing Itachi.

"Oh, Itachi"

"We have to go" Both the girls whined in protest.

"Aww, really?"

"Yes" Kirei pouted then turned to Hananoko.

"Oh where are you going?"

"We need to find a place to stay"

"Oh I know! You can stay at my dad's inn" Kirei grinned and ran off to Kumomaru-sensei.

"There, that building over there" Kirei followed Hananoko to a lone building in a market area.

"So that's your dad's inn? It's big!" Kumomaru walked up to the girls.

"Yes it certainly is, shall we go in?" He walked ahead of them, opening the door to a lobby with various people mingling; he held the door open, pointing with his hand.

"Ladies first" The girls walked through into the crowded room. The lobby was circular and the people inside stayed in their little groups gossiping and chatting away. Rentaro, Itachi and Koenmaru waited behind Kumomaru as he ushered them inside. Rentaro annoyingly stared at the back of her sensei 'am I not a girl?' Kumomaru stepped inside, approving of the overall atmosphere of the place, he over hears some conversation.

"Hey did you hear?" Kirei also hears the men chat to themselves.

"There's suppose to be some bandits hanging near here"

"Yeah I heard, lots of tough guys with weapons"

"It seems the whole gang is here"

"Yeah, they have been robbing travellers blind then killing them, using their disbanded body parts for their own amusement, scaring people, feeding their pets- the works"

"Sick fucks"

"Disgusting"

"It's going to be hard to get out of town"

"Yeah!"

"Why aren't the police doing anything?" Kirei stared at them, Kumomaru leaned down to her.

"Excuse me" He strode over to the men, Kirei watched, frowning with a side of butterflies in her stomach. Itachi walked over to her holding his hand up between his mouth and her ear, whispering.

"Don't worry" Kirei nodded perking a small smile. Koenmaru slyly moved over to the young ladies chatting beside the wide window. Itachi moved over to an empty wall, and leaned on it, followed by Rentaro and a slow reluctant Kirei. Kumomaru finished his chat with the young men, bowing, nodding and waving them good bye, returning to the group by the wall, grabbing Koenmaru along the way-dragging him away from some very annoyed women.

"Alright, let's check in" The children unenthusiastically murmured something.

Kirei embraced her friend, then let go, holding her hands smiling.

"See you soon" Kirei nodded and then ran off to the waiting party in the forest trails.

"Good luck"

"Bye!"

Kirei cheered at the front of the party.

"Alright! Soon I'll get to see Daddy soon!" Koenmaru threw his fist into the air.

"Yeah!"

"Mommy and Daddy are going to be soooo proud" Kumomaru smiled at the children.

"Heh, I'm sure" Unaware to most of them, they were being watched through the bushes. Suddenly loud rustles caught the attention of the always ready ninja, all spinning around to face the source. Kumomaru managed to lift his kunai knife, blocking the aerial attack of a short sword. The offender jumped back with the force of the block, hopping back a bit then standing tall.

"Kumomaru-sensei!"

"Calm down Rentaro, this guy is probably one of those bandits around here. There are probably more so watch yourself"

"Heh heh very clever" Kumomaru bend his knees in a ready stance, holding the kunai up, pointing at him.

"Itachi, Rentaro, Koenmaru, use the tri-formation to protect Kirei"

"Yes!" Itachi and Rentaro shifted from their line into a circle surrounding Kirei, backs facing her, Kirei silently watched the man. He lifted his sword pointing it at the circle.

"Heh run petty children but you'll never escape my blade. So just give up your valuables and I'll consider whether you die painless or slow and agonizingly" He cackled menacingly. Kirei trembled in the circle whispering quietly.

"w-what's going on?" Quickly a hand slapped over Kirei's mouth, Kumomaru, Itachi, Rentaro and Koenmaru all spun around, just quickly catching the glance of a woman hovering over Kirei, scooping her up .

"Kirei!" They all cried as she was taken up a tree by the woman. She chuckled keeping a firm hand over her mouth, Kirei clawed at her, struggling. The woman held a kitchen knife to Kirei's throat; Kirei stared at it, trembling.

"Some body guards you are...letting your poor little client into the hands of the likes of us. Now give us your valuables and 'Kirei' _may_ live" Kirei flinched away tearing up and continued to jerk about. Itachi clenched his fists, frowning at her. Suddenly Kirei burst into a giant puff of smoke and cloud, surprising the woman. Itachi lands down besides the group Kumomaru commends Itachi still sternly watching the two.

"Good work Itachi" Koenmaru stood tall holding his arm out pointing at the woman.

"Yeah! Don't under estimate a ninja!" then added a quiet.

"Even if it is Itachi" The woman glared at them the man also, quietly in the hidden confines of the bushes someone lightly punches his other humongous metal glove. BANG! The loud crash sent ripples through the earth cracking the hard rock sending the line directly to the group, the shaking threw the ninja's off balance. Kirei screamed clutching to Itachi.

"What's going on?" Koenmaru struggled to rebalance himself. While Itachi was still holding Kirei the woman from before appeared in front of him, sending a devastating kick to his open torso, throwing him and Kirei down through the trees down a steep hill. Koenmaru stood watching the two crying.

"Ah! Kirei! Itachi!" Itachi let go of Kirei in mid air, landing back first on the rough grass, Itachi lay there catching his breath benevolent to Kirei who was slowly rolling away.

Kumomaru readied himself blacking the strength of the large man with the giant metal glove, as he threw a slow powerful punch almost throwing back the ninja. Kirei continued to roll picking up speed, hoping and skipping over roots and rocks. Koenmaru takes a heavy punch to the gut, coughing up spit and exhausted the rest of his breath. Rentaro hid behind a tree, roughly breathing coarsely. Kirei tumbled clouds of dust, Itachi flicked open his eyes briefly to see Kirei close in onto a steep jagged cliff. Itachi shot up, shooting in between trees trying to catch up to the falling Kirei. Itachi skidded his feet over the grass and dirt, Kirei opened her eyes briefly to see over the edge of a rocky cliff, Itachi stretched his hand out calling out her name.

"KIREI!" Kirei stretched her hand out, eyes wide and frightened. Itachi bent over the cliff, trying to catch the falling Kirei, time seemed to move excruciatingly slow as Itachi slid his fingers against Kirei's hand, grasping her fingers. Itachi squeezed his fingers into a fist trying to grip her and pull her up, Kirei's fingers slipped out. Kirei watched in horror as her hand flew further and further away from Itachi's balled fist, Itachi trembled, tears poked out of the corners of his eyes. Kirei held her hand out high as she plummeted towards the bottom.

"!" Itachi bent over the cliff, gasping, clenching the grass bits. Trembling he lifted up whispering harshly.

"You..." Itachi turned to the hill, tears sliding down his cheeks; he glared at the hill sharingan blazing fiery.

"You're dead"

Oooooh! Cliff hanger (almost literary)

Well just want to let you know, I'm not going to be able to put up the last chapter for my first book for a while, just 'cause I'm going on holiday! Yay!

Though it does bother me how almost a year's work of drawing is all written up in a few months? Not quite sure how long it's been.

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	6. Chapter 6 Who's this?

Criminal love- chapter 6 Who's this?

**Criminal Love**

Kumomaru and Rentaro huffed, their clothes stained with blood. Cuts and bruises burned through their skin. They stayed still, staring down the competition- the three from before, the man with the sword, the woman and the large man with the metal glove.

"Kumomaru-sensei are you alright?"

"I'm fine, how about Koenmaru?" Rentaro quickly glanced around to the trees behind, Koenmaru lay on a nearby tree, unconscious.

"He's still knocked out"

"Keep care of him" Rentaro and Kumomaru looked back to the bruised members of the other team, as a loud high pitch sound rang out. The team leader huffed into a small narrow whistle, Kumomaru glared at the team dangerously.

"Shit" A slow beat of a march hummed subtly through the forest. Rentaro faced Kumomaru concernedly.

"What?" Slowly many many men and woman stomp through the trees, crying and grunting out loud, lining up behind the trio.

"That" The middle man spoke, preparing the gang.

"Ready" Kumomaru prepared his stance, holding up his kunai and fist.

"Prepare yourself" Rentaro nodded, shifting her stance as well. Suddenly three explosions burned its way through the trees; screams of the people were barely audible compared to the shock waves of fire and sheer force. Dust and trees flew up and came crashing down again, leaving carcases dribbled across the crater's edges. Kumomaru and Rentaro lay on the ground, several feet away from their previous spot, up against a tree. Kumomaru lifted himself off the ground, bruised he gradually kneeled on the dirt. He glanced at Rentaro but she had passed out from the hit. He managed to look up at the drifting leaves, then at the panting band of surviving bandits, all lying on the dirt trail, scrapped into the ground. The remaining gang all lay in the burning trees, groaning, limping and crawling across the ground.

Spinning metal sounds through the air growing louder to the barely conscious man and woman, he looks up to see a large shuriken spun quickly towards the two, the man managed to throw his hand down throwing himself out of the way, landing besides his sleeping friend. He could only lie and watch as the sharp edges of the shuriken slice through the woman's neck, continuing through the muscle and clawed through her spinal cord, throwing blood and bone over the gaping man, she could only give a high pitch terrified screech, before the blades tore at her neck. Her cries became muffled in gargled seeping blood, as the blade stopped digging itself deeply into the ground her head rolled off, leaving a trail of splurging crimson liquid. The man trembled, slowly turning upwards but was stopped with a firm punch to the cheek, slamming the other to the ground then ricocheting off the ground slightly in a bounce. He hacked up pink spit, squinting up at the puncher. Just as quickly the puncher threw his palms down at the man's windpipe, gripping his fingers around and squeezing, listening to the man squeal his trapped breath out. As his face brightened a red shade, he flinches and stares at the boy on him, trying to gasp but fails due to the tight clasp. Itachi sat on the man, tears dripped down off his cheeks onto the guy.

"You killed her..." Itachi continued to crush his windpipe, lifting his head off the ground.

"You! You killed her!" Kumomaru put his hand on the boys shoulder; Itachi flinched then stared at him.

"Itachi..."

"Itachi..."

Morning light shone down, through the moving leaves, spotting on Itachi's face. He held his arm over his face, blocking the light 'how strange' Itachi sat up off the tree root. His small childish boy now grown into a young man, he puts his hand down by his side as he scanned the many tall trees 'oh yeah...I'm still here' Itachi leaned over, running his hand through his hair 'I finally got out' Itachi's thoughts were disrupted by a squeaky noise and the clip clops of horses hooves. A small caravan roofed with wood and steel, accompanied by two men; one controlling the pulling horse and another walking besides it with his cloak, strolled down the small road. Itachi hid behind a tree in the shadows as the caravan approached, quickly he zoomed off. The man controlling the horse glanced behind him while the swishing sounds of winds fluttering past. The man walking with the caravan saw him glance.

"What it's the matter?"

"Uh, nothing" Itachi remained silent behind the trees as the caravan wheeled past.

"Hey, what happened to your cloak?"

"Huh? Wha- where did it go?"

"Oh, never mind we'll get you a new one"

"Aww man! It was a good one too!" The caravan continued down as Itachi tried his new cloak on.

The town was alive with the sound of people, walking past the lively stores and restaurant. Itachi leaned against a wall in a small back door area, watching the people walk past from underneath of his new black cloak. Two carpenters casually walked past, relaxingly speaking to each other without worry.

"Hey did you hear?"

"What?"

"There are some free samples at the market square"

"Yes! Free food!" Itachi watched the two guys walk through the crowds 'free breakfast sounds good. Now where's the market square?' Itachi slyly moved out of his hiding spot, following the two.

After following them for a while the crowds began to merge and Itachi found himself in a cramped space full of the flocking to the square, the two men stopped in front of a wide stair case, people wavered around them as they marvelled the wonder that Itachi could not yet see.

"Wow its busy today"

"You got that right"

Before the two where a set of stairs to a massive plaza, with a fountain in the centre, many tents of small businesses surrounded the fountain in a square maze like composition. The plaza was loud with the chatting of customers and the shouting of sellers. The air was filled with the scents of meats cooking, sweets and floral fragrances.

Itachi ventured into the crowds, walking past each stall only approaching those with free samples to give. Itachi came close the fountain 'now where to next?' Itachi scanned the stalls only catching brief looks at the ones selling food.

"Apples! Free samples here!"

"Apples!" Itachi stared at a small stall surrounded with people with a large sign on the front labelled beautifully "APPLES" 'It can't be'

Itachi stared as some of the crowd peeled away, exposing the young lady giving small slices of apples away. 'Kirei?' Itachi approached closer to the stall only staying two steps away, He watched as the girl handed a plastic bag of large apples away to a couple.

"Here...Come again"

"Oh!" The young lady dressed in a plain white apron, like many of the other chefs and people selling food, she had a very long black pony tail and bangs that got pulled back by a heart shaped clip, parting to the sides leaving a large clump of hair right in the middle of her forehead. She faced Itachi and smiled.

"How may I help you?" Itachi stared at her then tucked his face under his hood, shadowing his eyes.

"What's your name?" She stared then cautiously answered.

"Kirei"

"Kirei...?"

"I, uh don't have a last name"

"Why?" Itachi stepped closer to the stall counter 'amnesia?'

"Oh, I was found in the forest, with serious injuries, unconscious. I had some things with me that had my name, but my last name was torn off. They think that I"

"Fell off a cliff?" Kirei gasped, staring at him with wide eyes.

"What? How did you?" Itachi stood tall staring directly at her.

"If what you say is true and if my guesses are correct then your last name is Kaai"

"Wha" Itachi then burst in a cloud of thick smoke, startling Kirei. She stared at the spot then sighed, turning to the sample plate, empty- he's stolen all of the samples. She hung her head, sighing.

"Kaai..."She whispered to herself.

"Mangos!" Kirei looked up from her slump to her competitor next door.

"Don't buy boring apples!"

"Buy fresh delicious mangos!" Kirei darkly glared at her, hissing her name.

"Leah..." Leah glared back at Kirei.

"Kirei..." In the next moment the two begin a shouting war.

"APPLES!"

"MANGOS!"

"APPLES!"

"MANGOS!"

"APPLES!"

Kirei turned her key in her apartment door, jingling the cat shaped key ring. She shut it behind then leaned on it and sighed.

"Kaai..." She locked the door from behind, sighing putting the plastic bag of extras down.

"Pfft" Kirei removed off her shoes, slipping on her slippers. She then picked the bag up and stepped her way into the kitchen/dining room.

"Who would believe something so random" Kirei choked a laugh that sounded fake and somewhat psychotic, that died down with a slow coughing sigh. She placed the plastic bag gently on the plain wooden table, staring at table and the very sickly plant that sat on top.

Kirei pulled out the lowest draw in the drawer in her room. Shifting over some t-shirts and pants she pulled out a roughed old jacket. She lifted it up to her face, opening it up, searching for the torn up tag at the back of the collar, she sighed as she stared at the torn off tag with her first name scribbled on, the remaining part of her name, lost with the rest of the how-to-wash tag.

Outside her small window sat a giant tree, Itachi chewed on the free samples that he gathered before. He watches as she got up and walked off into another room. He leaned on the trunk of the large tree munching on the apple slices.

Kirei stalked down the main street of the town, hand on her shoulder holding steady to the bag 'I wonder where that guy is...' A shadowy figure watches her stomp down the pavement, past the spa house.

'Ack! Why am I even thinking about this? Kaai...could that really be my last name? Who was that anyway?' Kirei hardened her face seriously 'That's it I've made up my mind!' Flames burst up behind her, as her eyes blazed in pure determination. She clenched her fist and held it up in front of her. 'I have to find that guy!' Kirei's imaginary flames disappeared as she spotted a folded paper flying down to her. She caught it and opened it up silently reading it 'Meet me in the next alley way in 10 min' Kirei gasped staring at the little paper 'Is he a mind reader? Wait! He's following me!' Kirei continued to read the rest out loud.

"P.S. It's far too obvious what you're thinking about, especially when you shake your fist into the air to no one." She stood and stared at the paper for a while blushing then glancing left and right at anyone else who would of witnessed that.

Kirei stood in front of a narrow overhead covered alley way, Kirei gulped down a dry wad of spit.

'Geez...what a creepy place' Kirei walked in through the alley way, stepping in deep. She stopped in front of a pile of garbage scrunching up her face.

'It smells'

"It does, doesn't?" Kirei gasped and spun around, staring at a man covered in a cloak casually leaning on the wall facing the crowds. She pointed at him and waved her arm frantically up and down at him.

"You're a mind reader!" Itachi faced her off to the side.

"Tsk, first I'm magic now I'm psychic?" Kirei calmed down pulling her face in seriously.

"How are you?"

"You've grown your hair"

"Don't change the subject!"

"An old acquaintance"

"What kind"

"Does that matter?" Kirei paused and hung her head in thought, she then refaced him curiously.

"...Who am I?" Itachi turned to her addressing her fully.

"A girl...but not just any girl...you're..."

Wooh! Last chapter of the first book, it's going to be more epic from now on...well I'm trying.

Good old cliff hanger to end it :D

4


	7. Chapter 7

Criminal Love – Chapter 7 =You 're...

**Criminal love.**

"You're...A produce seller..." Itachi casually turned to the crowd again.

"I see... a produce seller." Kirei rubbed her chin in deep thought, and then suddenly gasped.

"Hey wait a minute!" She waved her arms around.

"I already am a produce seller!" She screamed.

"Selling apples to passer bys..." Itachi casually mumbled on.

"Of course YOU SAW ME YESTERDAY!"

"Calling out 'apples! Apples!' all day" Kirei flung her arms around frantically, almost at hyper speed, yelling non-understandable words.

"...In front of your family's shop" Kirei stopped and dangled her arms down.

"Wait! Family shop?" Itachi remained silent for a while watching the people walk by.

"Hmph...you really don't remember..."

"...no..."

"...Heh something's never change"

"W-What?" Itachi faced back to her.

"Do you have any food?"

"So quick to change the subject! No, not on me" He gave a small smile.

"If you feed me I might tell you more" Kirei sighed, thinking, then stubbornly defeated, faced to the side.

"Hnn...Alright. Follow me."

Kirei unlocked the door to her small apartment with Itachi standing behind her; she entered the room with Itachi beginning to follow.

"Stay here" Itachi stopped and watched her shut the door; his stomach growled awkwardly loudly, Itachi blushed a bit, shuffling in his spot a bit.

Kirei reappeared from the apartment handing a steaming bun wrapped slightly in paper to him.

"Here" Itachi took the bun and smirked.

"My, my, you must be either very curious or idiotic to show a man who's been following you around all day to your house" Kirei stared at him in silence, gaping.

"Wha-whu-a-wha! Th-this isn't my house!" She flailed around attempting to block the door from sight. Itachi munched on the bun, chuckling. Kirei calmed down and watched him scarf down the small bun.

"Alright I fed you, tell me more" Itachi crumpled the paper remains and looked at her square in the face, with a sarcastic like expression.

"You think a bun is enough to feed me?" Kirei hunched up, small veins popped at the top of her forehead, screaming.

"DO I NEED TO COOK YOU A THREE COURSE MEAL!" Itachi dramatically looked off into the distance, off to the side.

"You're just like your father you know..." Kirei bit her lip, concerning look draped on her face.

Itachi placed the chop sticks down next to the empty plate and half a cup of water, Kirei stared at Itachi from the other side of the table. Itachi looked back at her from his seat.

"You're quite the cook Kirei." She folded her arms and sternly glared at him.

"Well are you going to sit there or are you going to tell me more?" Itachi leaned back on the small wooden chair, taking a tooth pick to his lips, while lifting his legs to the table top relaxingly.

"I said 'might' didn't I?" Kirei clenched her fists down by her sides, tensing up her shoulders as blazing realistically imaginary flames ignited behind her. Itachi sat at the far end of the room relaxed with his feet up.

"There you go again, just like your dad." Kirei burst out, clenching her fist near her chest and threw them to her sides.

"No! That's it! I've had enough of you! No more 'little hints' you either tell me everything now or leave!" Itachi shifted a bit so that he faced her more.

"Tsk, you'll annoy your neighbours"

"You know if I leave, you'll never know about yourself" Kirei gasped for air, glaring straight back at him.

"My, used up your energy did you? No need to glare, I'll tell everything in due time" Kirei burst out again.

"How do I even know you're the real thing? For all I can tell, you're a fucking stalker!"

"All that means to me is that you still don't remember a thing"

"What do I have to do to get you to talk?"

"Dessert sounds nice" Low flames grew out in the imaginary distance as Kirei growled. Her fist clenched as she lifted her arm up high.

"Here!" She threw the thing at ultra fast speed at Itachi like a fast bullet, Itachi sat comfortably by, then in a swift movement Itachi lifted his fist up and clenched it, catching his 'dessert' and shifting his pose into a sitting position in a moment. Kirei gasped.

"Wha?" Itachi looked at his palm, a measly little candy sat lonely on it. He looked up at Kirei with a questioning look.

"You call this dessert?" Kirei hissed and shook violently.

"YOU ALREADY ATE ALL OF MY FOOD!" Itachi twisted the candy's wrapping.

"To think some people don't like you" Kirei continued to hiss as Itachi munched on the sweet.

"People do like me! How would end up with a boyfriend if they didn't?" Itachi sat up, staring at Kirei.

"Boyfriend?" Kirei huffed, folding her arms, leaning on the kitchens counter.

"Yes, boyfriend, why do you care?" Itachi got up and started walking to the door.

"I don't, well, see you tomorrow..." Kirei watched him walk down the small hall to her front door.

"What do you mean 'see you tomorrow?'" Itachi never stopped and continued out the door, Kirei stared at the wall for a while before realising.

"Hey wait...He ate all my food, and STILL didn't tell me anything!" Itachi stood in front of Kirei's door listening to her rant.

Itachi sat on a roof of the surrounding buildings at the plaza, looking out over the stalls, more importantly-Kirei, with another man, laughing! Itachi glared at the two before shifting away.

"So you like cops do you?" Kirei and the man surprised faced the front end of the stall where Itachi sat picking at the samples.

"You!" Kirei cried as the man stared at him then addressed his girlfriend.

"You know him?" He nodded his head to Itachi's direction, swishing his blonde locks.

"Um, kind of..." Itachi aloofly continued to munch away.

"He's that stalker guy who ate all my food"

"Oh, so this is the guy..." The man smirked, holding his hands on his hips, showing as much of his police uniform as possible.

"Alright punk, you're coming with me, 'cause I'm Tamaki the best cop around!" Itachi looked up from the plate of apples cubes on a toothpick, still shading his eyes and face form view.

"Never heard of you" Tamaki gasped staring at the man before giving an over exaggerated-

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?" Tamaki waved his arms around in a panic.

"Yo-you must have heard f me!"

"Nope"

"My captures of dangerous-"

"Nope"

"My achievements in-"

"No." Tamaki leaned on over Itachi whispering harshly.

"Come on man, there's a hot girl on the line here" Itachi sharply glared at him as he stood tall swiping his wispy locks with the flick of his hand.

"Oh, I get it; you must not e from around here...no wonder ha ha ha ha"

"Kirei, how long have you been dating this guy?" Kirei looked at Itachi before doing a big grin.

"A few weeks now."

"A few weeks huh..." Tamaki finished his 'whole hearty' laugh and cleared his throat.

"Well so anyway you'll be coming with me" Itachi unchanged remained at his seat.

"Hmmm?"

"For being a stalker"

"That's not illegal"

"For...threats"

"What threats?"

"For...thievery"

"I'm paying her back..."

"For-for...for being a shady guy!" Itachi looked up from the empty plate at Tamaki.

"So are you going to arrest trees as well?" Tamaki glared at Itachi.

"Alright that's it! What's your name fucker!"

"Now why would I do such a stupid thing as to give you my name?" Tamaki slammed his hand on the counter.

"Well if you're not going to tell me..." He quickly turned to Kirei startling her a bit.

"Kirei! What's his name?" Kirei stared at Tamaki then Itachi and back to Tamaki with a concerned face.

"Um...I don't know" Tamaki turned to her quickly with an incredulous face, holding up his hands wriggling is fingers frustratingly.

"Wha-what do you mean you _DON'T_ know!"Kirei rubbed the back of her head.

"He...uh...never told me..."

"Well ask him now!" Kirei walked up Itachi, twiddling her fingers.

"Hey...um...stalkers guy...what's your name?"

"Well it's defiantly _not_ stalker guy" Itachi waved the empty plate in front of Kirei.

"Refill?" Kirei glared at him.

"This isn't a bar you know!" She sighed then brought out an apple and a chopping board from underneath the 'counter' and began to slice the apple up.

"Tsk, what are you sitting on anyway?" Itachi clasped his hands together and leaned his chin on them watching her stab the cubes with toothpicks.

"Some box..." Kirei rolled her eyes then placed the now full plate in front of him.

"Here" Itachi got off his hands and picked at the plate.

"You know it would be useless to tell you my name, since you never used it" Kirei held her hands behind her back and leaned down to try see Itachi's face.

"Was...was I some kind of bully?" Itachi chuckled amusingly.

"Then...why didn't I use your name?" Itachi smiled.

"Probably because I annoyed so much" Kirei glared, clenching her fists a bit.

"AND YOU STILL DO!" Tamaki watched the two, rubbing his chin 'this guy seems tough...I could probably take him though...' He then interrupted the two and pointed at Itachi facing Kirei.

"Well if you're not going to come peaceful I'll have to take you by force!" Kirei gasped then clasped her hands together, leaning towards Tamaki.

"Tamaki, be careful~" Itachi watched Kirei sparkle at Tamaki then he faced him.

"You know...I would fight you but you're not worth it" Tamaki glared at Itachi causing lightning to flash everywhere.

"Wha!" Tamaki swung around the stall to Itachi's seat.

"What do you mean not worth it! I'm the police!" Itachi calming faced Tamaki.

"Actually you're only a police man, but I've been seriously doubting that" Tamaki held his fist up to Itachi's face.

"You asked for it" Tamaki winded up and threw it right at Itachi, Itachi swung his leg around hitting his feet sending him toppling over then Itachi thrusted his palm at Tamaki's stomach. Tamaki began to fall towards Itachi, as Itachi slowed his fall with his hand he then pushed at Tamaki throwing him up, up and away! Tamaki immediately squealed in a high pitch voice over the village, he then flailed around as his arc began to descend over the forest.

Kirei gaped at the edge of her stall.

"Wha-ma!"

"Don't worry he's going to land on something soft" Kirei faced him then frantically waved her arms around.

"You-you just threw my boyfriend!"

"Yes"

"Like, like...whoosh!" Kirei pointed her finger at him waving it around some more.

"If-if you're not magic or psychic, you-you must be"

"AN ALIEN!" Itachi watched her as she paced the stall rambling.

"The-the super strength...the super speed...the super annoyingness...never taking off that hood!...no name!" Kirei stood in front of Itachi back facing him, holding her head in between her clamped hands.

"Of-of course if you tell us your alien name, we'll think it's odd and suspect you..."

"OI..."

"But that's too late, I already know..."

"I'm not an alien" Kirei took some deep breaths then turned off side to look at him.

"You-you're not?"

"No"

"Then...what are you?"

"...If you take me back to your place I might tell you there" Kirei faced him then sternly glared at him.

"*MIGHT* ...Hmmm...why my place?"

"Because it's a secret" Kirei looked down and glanced a couple of times at him.

"You...you're not going to rape me are you...?" Itachi choked on the apple, coughing out the small thing then wiping his face with his arm, a little flushed.

"No, of course not...that wouldn't be any fun for anyone"

"Few! Oh, that's good" Itachi then sat properly addressing her more.

"Besides, if I was going to rape you, I would have done it yesterday" Kirei backed away flailing around.

"What! You thought about it?" Itachi got up facing her and kicking the box away.

"Aright but before I go..." He looked up at her allowing some light on the bottom of his face.

"Five apples please"

Gasp! Beginning the first chapter for book 2, I'm going to hurry along chapter 13 if I'm going to continue at a steady pace.

Check out my deviantArt page please – .com :D

7


	8. Chapter 8 What?

Criminal Love- chapter 8 – What!

**Criminal Love**

Kirei held the door laughing at the other person outside.

"Ha ha ha Alright, see you tomorrow" Kirei closed the door and put down the plastic bags of food, taking her shoes off. She picked the bags up again and walked towards the table; she stopped and stared at the stranger at her table picking crumbs off an empty plate. Itachi picked his teeth with a small tooth pick, not reacting top Kirei's arrival. Kirei gave a huffed sigh then shifted her heavy hands to her hips, swinging the bags.

"I see you've made yourself at home" Itachi stopped picking his teeth and faced her.

"Yes" Kirei moved to the kitchen end of the table and set the bags down.

"I'm not going to even ask how you got in here...but I am wondering... what did you do with those apples?" Itachi creased his brows a bit then retorted.

"Hmph, I put them in my shirt then pretended to be a woman, what did you think I did with them?" Kirei blushed a little then awkwardly glanced away and back again, scratching her cheek.

"Well I was thinking that you might have thrown them at people or something" Itachi stared at her with a little disappointment shaking his head a little.

"...I ate them"

"A-all of them?"

"Yes. All 5 apples" Silence drifted between the two as Itachi flicked some crumbs around, then Kirei turned to him.

"So...you going to tell me what you are or not?" Itachi looked up at her.

"Well, you didn't 'take' me here" Kirei tensed up. Quickly Itachi caught the apple making a loud smack noise. He inspected the apple turning it over then put it in his pocket. Kirei still kept her hand out, in the thrown poise, eyes sharply glaring at him, growling and trembling with no patience at all. Itachi got up and turned to the door behind him.

"What are you doing?" Itachi opened the door then faced Kirei.

"Checking the area" Itachi peered inside to Kirei's bedroom and checked the blind spots.

"Why?" Itachi closed the door then walked past Kirei to the kitchen side's door.

"To make sure no one else hears" Itachi peered inside the door to the bathroom; it was very clean with a wide bath at the far end.

"Why?" Itachi turned around to her annoyed.

"You're like a 5 year old you know "Why? Why? Why?"...Wait until I explain" Kirei huffed then leaned on the table. Itachi walked out of the door way and faced her.

"The area seems clear...I guess I'll tell you the secret" Kirei hoped off the table. Itachi smirked leaning down a bit, holding his hand near his face.

"Listen carefully now...I won't repeat it...I...I- took a nap in your bed" Kirei glared.

"Just tell me what you are already!" Itachi turned to the side with a more serious look.

"Huh, I thought that you would be annoyed with that"

"I AM!" Itachi turned to her plainly.

"I'm a ninja silly"

"Whaaaaaaaaat? No way! You're practically alien anyway!" Itachi just remained silent. Kirei scratched her chin, with her other hand on her hip.

"Wait...how can I believe you?" Itachi sighed then rolled his eyes.

"Let me guess...You're going to try make me walk across a cable wire on my hands while balancing a bucket on my feet" Kirei gasped.

"Buah! H-how did you know?" Kirei backed away to the wall, flailing that finger again.

"You-you are psychic!"

"I'm not psychic, that's what you made me do when I became a ninja" Kirei backed off the wall, and stepped forward slowly.

"I...I made you do that?...How did it go?"

"...I fell" Kirei gasped and stepped closer clasping her hands over her chest, dilating her pupils she stared at him, sympathetically.

"You...you didn't get hurt did you?"

"No...I landed alright" Kirei put her hands down and sighed.

"That's good" She looked back up at him.

"Do I get to know your name now?"

"No"

"Would dinner help?"

"Ha ha are you inviting me?" Itachi continued to chuckle for a while.

"If your cooking is good I might give you a hint" Kirei sighed and picked up the plastic bags off the table.

"Close enough"

Tap water ran over the bubbles in the sink full of dishes, pot and pans and things cluttered the counters next to it. Kirei lay hunched over the table, with several dishes around, and a hot cup of tea next to her.

"Ung...sooooo...full..." Her stomach grumbled loudly. Itachi clutched his cup of tea, watching Kirei cringe and groan.

"I'll take that as dinners over then" Kirei groaned some more, clutching the table in pain.

"You should get to bed"

"Hmph...not ...without...my hint, guh"

"Persistent aren't you?" Itachi sipped his tea and watched her sweat.

"Alright...the hint is... my name starts with 'I'"

"Is that first or last?"

"You're only getting that" Kirei got off the table and slammed her fist down.

"Ungh! I cooked all the food and stuffed my face, just to know your name starts with 'I'!"

"Hmm...yup" Itachi sipped more of his tea then faced her again.

"By the way...you...wouldn't mind if I stayed a while?"

"If you mean for the night then yes I would mind" Kirei leaned on the table with her elbows, staring directly at him.

"Don't you have somewhere else to go?"

"Apart from that tree outside, no" Kirei leaned back on her seat, wiping her forehead.

"Hmmm...I guess I could let you stay the night...but you're defiantly _**not**_ going to stay in my room, or my bed!" Itachi smirked and leaned on his cheek.

"Oh, thank you Kirei, you're sooo kind" He said in a mocking way, Kirei repulsed, thinking that it this was probably a bad decision.

Morning rose over the town, birds chirped as the resident cats stalked the roofs, watching the big golden orb rise over the horizon. Itachi lay, blinking his eyes, open to the sound of birds. He sighed and looked at his surroundings. The bathroom, in the bath with a towel for a blanket, there was a knock at the door at the other end of the room; Kirei opened it and came in.

"Morning 'I', get out of the bath, I need the toilet" Itachi sat up; keeping his hood on at all times, he covered his mouth with his hand and yawned.

"Alright, alright" Itachi got out of the bath and walked towards the door with the towel in hand. Kirei groaned and clenched her stomach.

"Does your stomach hurt?" Kirei leaned on the door and nodded her head in response, her loose hair covered her face, Itachi handed her the towel and proceeded out the door.

"I'll get you something then" Itachi shut the door behind him, Kirei watched the door carefully.

"...get me something?" Just then her stomach grumbled uncomfortably.

Kirei emerged from the bathroom to find Itachi at the stove, ...cooking. Itachi turned to her, licking the wooden spoon in hand.

"Oh...you're out" Kirei walked out of the bathroom, towards him, her hair trailing slightly behind her feet.

"What are you doing?"

"Making breakfast" Kirei stared at him then approached him from behind, stepping on her tip toes to look over his shoulder.

"Why?" Itachi unchanged continued to shake the pans.

"You cooked me dinner, so I'll cook you breakfast" Kirei looked at the pans on the stove, with two frying eggs, bacon, some toast and a pot of something boiling 'this is breakfast?'. Kirei turned around, and headed to her room.

"Alright, I'll be in my room..." Itachi watched her walk away then turned back to the stove.

Kirei flicked through the draw of clothes and picked out a stripy top.

"This is pretty" Itachi knocked on the door.

"Breakfast is ready" Kirei sighed pulling the top over her head, while Itachi kept bashing the door.

"Yeah, yeah I'm coming" Kirei opened the door to Itachi standing. He shifted off to the side to let her see the table.

"I didn't want all my hard work to cold" Kirei annoying stared at the Itachi's back as she closed the door. Itachi walked to the other side of the table, to his designated seat. Kirei walked up to her seat, she stopped and stared at the prepared cutlery for her. Quickly she snatched up the product put off to the side and smacked her hand down, making the silvery jump and clang. Fire blazed up behind her and her eyes changed to a glaring devil as she shouted.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?" Itachi calmly retorted.

"The label says "Low-fat strawberry flavoured yoghurt""

"DON'T BE SO CASUAL!" Kirei yelled across the table.

"And _where_ did it come from?"

"The convenience store"

"And _how_ did it get from the convenience store to my house!" Itachi started to munch on the rice on he had put on the plate.

"I bought it; I told you I would get get you something"

"You..." Kirei twitched and darkened her eyes from sight, fire blazed around her as she grew louder and louder.

"YOU-YOU BOUGHT IT! WITH-WITH MONEY? YOU-YOU HAVE MONEY? MONEY YOU COULD USE FOR A HOTEL OR AN INN'S ROOM!" Itachi stared at her, and small beads of sweat slipped down his cheeks as the fire dangerously increased towards him.

"BUT INSTEAD YOU STAY HERE FOR FREE- FEEDING OFF MY COOKING!"

"If you don't want it, I'll eat it" Kirei put the yogurt down and took a breather.

"All that trouble for some yogurt...but you know...a hotel room or an inn room is a lot more expensive than some yogurt" Kirei glared and growled, swiping up some chopsticks and grabbed the sausage, chomping down on it. Itachi watched her gobbled down the breakfast throwing rice and bits of half eaten food everywhere, Kirei grabbed the rice bowl throwing the rice in her mouth with speed. Itachi watched her scarf down the rice.

"O-Oi, slow down, or you'll get another stomach ache...or throw up" Kirei slammed down the chopsticks and bowl, Kirei swiped the yogurt, sat sideways and twisted the cap off, took a spoon, dipped it in the yogurt and stuck it in her mouth.

"I'll take that as you wanted the yogurt"

"Uuuuuungh..." Kirei lay in bed groaning, Itachi placed a cup of water on her bed stand next to her very plain lamp.

"I told you to slow down"

"This is your fault" Itachi looked at her, she was pointing at him.

"You-you poisoned me with that yogurt!" She then hunched over in pain and groaned. Itachi put a tablet in the cup; it fizzed and bobbed up and down the cup.

"Heh, heh alright, alright, just take some aspirin and rest" Kirei yelled at him from her position in her bed.

"Are you kidding? It might be some more poison! And you could rape me in my sleep!"

"I got the aspirin from your cupboard...and I told you before, if I had any intention to rape you I would of done it already" Itachi glanced from her and glanced back.

"...though...now's a good time" Kirei gasped and shuffled away from him.

"I knew it!" Itachi turned away and chuckled.

"Besides, what's the fun in having sex with someone who won't react to you" Kirei threw her blankets off and sat up. Itachi turned back and had very bright gleam in his eyes.

"Now...sweet dreams" Kirei trembled and sweated 'He-he's a demon!'

Kirei drooled and slept happily, twitching every once and while. Itachi sat on her bed staring at her 'even with all the complaining...she still fell deep asleep' Itachi turned and went into deep thought 'she's the real deal alright' an image of little Kirei Kaai smiled and welcomed him to the store. Itachi closed his eyes tight as the image of Kirei fall to her doom with her arm held out towards him "ITACHIIIIIIIIIII!" 'Kirei...'

"Nm..." Kirei shuffled and blinked open her eyes, Itachi faced her form the end of her bed.

"...afternoon sleepy head" Itachi smirked and kept a shadow over his face.

"You were wonderful" Kirei flinched, sat up and yelled.

"What?" Her voice was so loud that everyone could hear it outside.

"**OUT!**"

Itachi hugged his legs on top of the tree outside Kirei's window 'I'm in the tree again' Itachi glanced to the overhead walkway below to see a glimpse of someone familiar. Tamaki grinned happily and jogged away down towards Kirei's apartment building 'he's too happy...' Itachi looked over to the entrance area of the building, Kirei walked down the pathway arms behind her back with a smile on her face 'ah...Kirei...' Itachi watched the two meet in the middle, and greet each other 'Just as I thought...' Itachi watched the two chat, he then twitched a smirk then moved away.

"Yo..." Kirei and Tamaki stopped their small talk to see the man who addressed them, Itachi stood on the hand rail in perfect balance facing them straight on. Kirei immediately yelled.

"YOU!" Tamaki followed suit, glaring before hissing his own nonsense.

"THAT STALKER FROM BEFORE!" The two then simultaneously combusted with a fiery roar.

"It's lucky I survived that throw or I'd put you down for murder!" But Tamaki's voice was only a whisper to Kirei's dynamite blast.

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO LEAVE!" Itachi merely stuck his finger in his ear and complained.

"Tsk, Tsk...how noisy, besides...you told me "out"" Itachi stepped down from the hand rail and calmly explained.

"And as you can plainly see...I am – _out-side_" Before Kirei had a chance to pounce and tear his head from his shoulders off, he asked a very surprising question.

"So are you two going on a date or not?" They both calmed down and Tamaki took the opportunity to snake his arm around Kirei and pull her close.

"Actually yes"

"Well you'd better be inside..."

"...Because there's a storm coming" The two looked up at the dark clouds looming over the town.

"And if you go to a restaurant, it better be somewhere fancy...for the flowers you didn't bring her" Tamaki and Kirei stared at his empty hand.

"And for the very un-boy friendly greeting" Tamaki stayed silent before he thrusted his finger at him

"AND WHO ARE YOU TO SAY WHAT I SHOULD DO FOR MY GIRL FRIEND ON OUR DATE HUH?" Itachi stared at his finger, and then looked back up at him.

"JUST WHO ARE YOU!" Itachi smirked.

"That's a secret" Tamaki shook his fist, clenching at Kirei.

"THAT'S IT! THAT HOOD OF YOURS IS COMING OFF!" Tamaki outstretched his hand at him giving out a war cry, Itachi swiftly moved out of the way and jumped back on the rail. Kirei was thrown on to the ground as Tamaki chased after speedy Itachi. Kirei watched Tamaki huffed after Itachi from the concrete ground 'That's it! I'm dumping him!'

Droplets splattered down near Itachi's feet and face 'It's starting to rain' Itachi looked behind at the grassy plain with the trees receding from the forest to spot the faint speck in the distance jogging towards him. Itachi smirked 'and so it begins'

Kirei jogged across the wet grass as the rain began to pick up 'where the hell are they? And it's already started to rain...' Kirei stopped at a sight, and then flinched with an utmost incredulous face 'that idiot!' Itachi dogged left and right with ease as Tamaki flailed his arm around getting so close but surely missing every time 'He's still at it? Can't he see he's just playing with him?' Itachi swiftly manoeuvred behind Tamaki surprising him, Kirei watched from the distance 'the way he moves...I guess he really is a ninja...' Kirei gave a sigh of relief 'It doesn't look like either of them are hurt and Tamaki doesn't look like he's done anything dumb' Just at that moment Tamaki stopped and cried.

"THAT'S IT!" Itachi and Kirei surprisingly watched as Tamaki swing his arm around and pull his sword out, hold it over his head and laugh maniacally.

Kirei stepped back a bit 'I'm dating this guy!'

Itachi swiftly ducked down and swung his leg up, kicking Tamaki's sword out of his hands and sent it flying off. Itachi held his position with his leg in the air, he smirked mocking Tamaki. Tamaki glared back. Kirei gaped as her heart beat started racing 'that-that idiot! I have to stop them before someone actually gets hurt!'

Tamaki thrusted his hands at Itachi crying out a war cry 'That hood _will_ come off!' Kirei's heart pounded hard as she gaped gasping for air 'oh no!'The wind began to pick up rustling the leaves as Kirei started up her staggered jog. Tamaki missed another time then stopped to glare at Itachi; Itachi glanced at the leaves flying towards them. Kirei broke out into a sprint 'Got to stop them!'

The wind blasted at them, making Itachi's cloak fly up and his hood fly off him, the rain poured down on everyone. Tamaki stopped standing tall gaping at Itachi.

"That face! You're..." Kirei closed in the two trying not to slip over.

"Wait!" Tamaki began to tremble, his eyes wide and never leaving his face.

"The infamous murderer of the great Uchiha clan with the demon sharingan eyes..." Kirei slowed down close near them as a lightning strike lit up the sky, trembling the area with the thunder.

"Uchiha...Itachi!" Kirei stopped near them heaving air staring at the two.

"That name..."

7


	9. Chapter 9 Uchiha Itachi

Criminal Love – Chapter 9 Uchiha Itachi

**Criminal Love**

Rain poured down in the grass plains outside the walls of the town, Kirei stared at the two staring each other down. The rain soaked through every ones clothes.

"That name..." Kirei closed her eyes, as a voice whispered quietly to her, she concentrated harder, the voice became more audible 'hello...my name is...' Blurry images of a young boy fuzzed through. Finally a clear image appeared, sparkling with that I'm-better-than-you smirk saying.

"Uchiha Itachi...now it's your turn" Kirei gasped and flashed open her eyes 'I remember now!'

Tamaki stared at Itachi frozen.

"Aaaaaaah...You-you know you can say whatever you like...I don't mind...heh heh heh heh"

"Tsk" Itachi cocked his head to the side, flicking his soaking wet hair.

"I knew it, you really are a cowardly pathetic wannabe policeman" Tamaki flinched 'guh! Decision time!'

Kirei leaned over and clasped her head 'one apple please...Hmph, impatient much, well then...see you on Monday' images of Itachi kept appearing in Kirei's head 'stop right there ...mother!' 'Well you're not that attractive' 'I'm sorry you're the prettiest girl I've ever seen' suddenly an image of Itachi skidding down a hill, throwing out his hand "KIREI!" he cried. Kirei collapsed down, splashing in the puddles with her knees.

Tamaki held his two hands out, flicking back and forth between them 'pride...or life?' Itachi glanced back at Kirei. She clutched her head, breathing heavily. Tamaki kept glancing between his hands 'live and run...lie and die...' Tamaki sighed throwing down his hands 'Wahahahaahahahahaha I don't know what to choose!'

Itachi watched Kirei hyperventilate on the grass 'What's going on with her?' Tamaki collapsed forward on the grass, catching Itachi's attention. Tamaki sat sideways in the foetal position 'I hope this works'

Itachi stared at him.

"What...are you doing?" Tamaki immediately sat back up, stammering a lie.

"A-ah nothing! I just tripped" Itachi glanced around Tamaki...flat grass.

"On what?" Tamaki stammered something loudly but Itachi's concentration went back to Kirei, who was covering her eyes with her palms, rolling around on the wet grass. Itachi quickly hit the side of Tamaki's neck; he fainted, falling to the ground. He kneeled staring at him before swiftly hopping off to Kirei. He leaned over her as she flipped over a couple times.

"Oi" Kirei opened her eyes, looking straight at Itachi; she sat up almost immediately with a stern expression.

"You!" Itachi flinched, backing his hand away from her; she quickly put her hands on his shoulders clutching them, almost shouting at him.

"Y-You're that cute little boy!" Itachi stared at her.

"Cute?" She took her hands off of him and stared out unto the forest.

"The-the one that visited me every day"

"Ah...Does that mean you remember?" Quickly Kirei threw her hands at Itachi's face, squeezing his cheeks together.

"You're really are Uchiha Itachi, you even have the headband and everything" Itachi stared at her.

"Everyfing?" It was difficult for him to speak with Kirei's hands squishing his cheeks together.

"Yeah, yeah! You got the hair, the face, eyes, attitude..." She spoke as if she were in a strange trance. Itachi took her hands off his squishy cheeks and held them.

"I think you should go home..." Kirei glanced around.

"Before you catch a cold" She faced back to Itachi.

"Where's Tamaki?" Tamaki lay on the grass sleeping, soaking in the rain.

"He's collapsed over there...but never mind about him ...let's just get you back" Kirei looked at him in a concerned way.

"Is he alright?" Itachi smirked a bit.

"He's fine, he just...tripped"

Kirei's door shut as Itachi chucked a towel over his head. He walked up to Kirei sitting at the table, rubbing the towel into his hair.

"So do you remember everything now?" Kirei looked at Itachi, out of her strange trance, fluffing up the towel around her shoulders.

"Not 'everything' just lots of you" He smirked.

"And I am?" Kirei smirked, shifting her head off to the side.

"Heh, Uchiha Itachi, the boy who would buy apples from me every day and whom also became a ninja at a young age, _but couldn't pass my test_"

"Anything about me afterwards?" Kirei leaned back, taking in a deep breath.

"Ah..." She then flew forwards.

"CHUUUU!" Sending spit all over the table, Itachi frowned at her.

"Ng uhhh..."

Kirei lay in her bed, flushed with dark rings under her eyes. Itachi placed a hot cup of tea on her bedside table.

"I warned you that you would catch a cold" Kirei took a tissue to her face and blew her nose into it noisily.

"Tsk, not even listening, get lots of rest, if you need me I'll be in your bathtub (again)"Kirei threw the tissue somewhere on the floor and watched her door close with tired eyes.

"Huh...wait...what?"

Kirei rested peacefully with the birds chirping in the morning light. Suddenly her front door got a very unwelcome shoe sole, trusting it open. Kirei sat up in confusion as loud footsteps trampled through the flat. Her bedroom door was swept open, Tamaki and his police partner walked into her room.

"KIREI!"

"Wha! Tamaki! What!" Tamaki hardened his expression.

"Are you alright? Did that murderer do anything to you!" Kirei coughed a bit then looked back at Tamaki.

"Y-yeah...w-who? What's going on?" Tamaki gripped the door handle and shouted.

"THAT MONSTER UCHIHA ITACHI! DID HE DO ANYTHING TO YOU! DO YOU KNOW WHERE HE IS?"

"Itachi?" Kirei glanced at the empty cup on her bedside.

"N-no, he just brought me home a-and made me some tea...what do you mean 'monster'?" Tamaki's partner tapped Tamaki's shoulder, quietly speaking to him.

"Is it possible that the tea..." Tamaki glared at the floor, then faced Kirei again.

"Do you know where he is?" Kirei sniffed a couple times and spoke in a croaky voice.

"I think he said something about the bathtub" Tamaki immediately let go of the door, spun around and instructed his partner.

"You check the cup, I'll check the bathroom!" Tamaki ran to the door, slamming it open.

"...nothing" The white tiled room stayed silent and still as Tamaki stepped inside. He walked over to the bathtub and saw a lone towel, draped over the drain hole. Itachi watched from behind the door, shifting slightly. Tamaki flicked around at the sounds, grabbing the door handle and swinging it away from the tiled wall.

"AHA!" Tamaki stopped as there was only tile and dust 'what! I was sure I heard something! I guess he left early' Tamaki took the handle and slowly began to close the door, scanning over the bathroom once more. Itachi cuddled his knees behind the counter, out of range from Tamaki's view, listening carefully as the door clicked shut.

Tamaki re-entered Kirei's room, eyes fixed to the wooden floor. His partner finished locking up the plastic bag the cup was in.

"Nothing huh..." Tamaki leaned on the door hinge, facing them with his arms folded.

"Just a towel in the bath..." Kirei perked up with a small smile.

"Oh, yeah...he uses that as a blanket...but it's strange, I thought he would put that away" Suddenly the sounds of a door being slammed open and clustered running over furniture to the wide window, were followed by the sound of that window being forcefully opened, caught the policemen's attention. Tamaki instinctively turned around to see the breeze fly in through the open window bringing in the floating leaves from the large tree outside. Tamaki ran over to the window and slammed his hands down on the window sill, scanning the area for any suspicious movement. He flared and clenched his teeth together.

"HOW COULD I LET SOMEONE JUST BEAT ME AND LEAVE!" Kirei stared through her door into the kitchen/dining room 'I knew it, only doing this for himself' His partner also looked out the door 'Tamaki...' He turned back to Kirei.

"Ms. Kirei. Do you really not know what Uchiha Itachi has done?" Kirei stared up at the ceiling.

"I only remember things from when we were kids" Tamaki's Partner stared at her 'Childhood friends?'

"Would that mean you two are friends?" Kirei huffed, cocking her head to the side, avoiding eye contact.

"I wouldn't say _friends_" He stood up.

"I understand, I don't think it would be right if I was the one to tell you what he did" Kirei looked back at him confused.

"But if you have any more information on him for us, please tell me"

"Huh...wait what did he do" Tamaki's voice demonically called out, catching their attention.

"_**He murdered his family**_" Kirei gasped, trembling slightly, gazing straight at Tamaki.

"He...what?"

3


	10. Chapter 10 Do or don't

Criminal Love – Chapter 10 Do or don't?

**Criminal Love**

Kirei shuffled down the street manoeuvring around the people slowly.

'I feel terrible' She sighed and bleakly looking on ward, flashing back to that day before.

"Uchiha Itachi is a notorious villain for the slaughtering of the entire Uchiha clan" Kirei gasped, covering her mouth. Tears seeped through her eyes, as she choked on her breath, trembling horribly. She blinked causing her tears to run free down her cheeks. She took her hands away from her mouth and wiped at her cheeks.

"N-no...it can't be..." Itachi smirked at her in her distant memories. She crashed back to reality; she leaned over and sobbed into her palms. Tamaki's partner flustered over her.

"Ms. Kirei!" While Tamaki himself turned through the door and faced back.

"I think she needs time to herself"

"But-but Tamaki!"

"No, now let's her have some time" Tamaki and his partner then left her apartment with Kirei continuing to sob, glaring at the door where he stood 'Tamaki you idiot!'  
Tamaki smirked walking down the hall 'Hmph! Now that Kirei's learned that Itachi's a monster, she'll have to forget all about him and come back to me!'

Kirei came back to the early morning at the plaza. She moodily shifted from side to side, as she shuffled down the concrete 'I have to be depressed some other time...no-one likes a moody shop clerk...forgetting I even remembered him would be the best...I'd probably never see him anyway' Kirei stopped in front of her store to stare at something very interesting...

Over at the police centre, in a reference library Tamaki sulked on a wheelie chair as his partner sifted through the files.

"Oh, don't worry Tamaki; there are other fish in the sea"

"But I don't understand why _**anyone**_ would dump me?"

"She was probably still upset with the news you gave her" Secretly he was actually thinking; 'Probably more by the _way_ you told it' but Tamaki just denies everything!

"That's not a reason to dump me!" His cries were ignored as his partner rushed through the files.

"Ah! Found it!" He lifted up a file and patted down the others in the draw. Tamaki swung around in the chair.

"Hm? Found what?"

"That guy's regional police record"

"I remembered a while ago...some updates. Aha! Just as I thought! Almost one year ago...Uchiha Itachi had been confirmed dead!"

"Eh?" Suddenly the door to the small library was forcefully opened. Two men stood just outside of it. The men had animal masks and wore tough armour only on their torsos.

"Excuse me are you two Tamaki and Usugi?"

Back at the plaza the fountain spat its water out and it poured down the sides, Leah; Kirei's current arch enemy. Was playing with a cucumber, stuck with olives on parallel to each other, she held it on the counter rolling it back and forth making "BRMM BRMM" noises each time it moved. Kirei stood staring at her.

"What...are you doing?" Leah sharply looked up at her, chucking the "cucumber car" behind her somewhere and then standing up. Dusting herself off. She lifted a wooden plant that sat on the counter and flipped it over, so it sat on in front of the stall saying "Cucumbers" She glared at Kirei.

"I sell cucumbers now; your petty apples don't stand a chance!" Kirei could only stare hollowly.

Back at the police office, Tamaki sat on his chair as the Konoha black ops began their interrogation.

"We would like to question you about a recent sighting"

"Eh? You mean Uchiha Itachi"

"Yes Exactly" Tamaki smirked.

"Alright, I'll tell you _everything_"

"In detail please"

Somewhere else, very far away, in a place which seems to look like a cave, sat a man in an empty carved out square room, his face hidden by a swirly orange mask. Another man stood behind him, covered by a thick cloak.

"You may leave"

"Yes, sir" The 'Pumpkin face' man clasped his hands and leaned his chin on top.

"Tsk, Tsk Itachi...I wonder what ever was so important to be spotted?" He chuckled, causing an echo to run down the hall.

At the police centre, the two stared at Tamaki after he had answered their questions.

"So let me get this straight...you...beat the crap out of him...then him cringing on the ground...begged you for mercy" Tamaki smirked proudly.

"Yup, exactly" The two sighed, looked at each other and then began to turn out the door.

"I should have known it was another excuse for fame"

"Wait" Usugi remained on the ground as he ratted out his fake partner.

"Even though I personally haven't seen him, we found Tamaki unconscious on the ground, just outside of the town, uninjured"

"Usugi!" Tamaki cried he couldn't believe this betrayal.

"And there is another witness...Kirei, Kaa. Apparently her last name, information given to her allegedly by Uchiha Itachi, who seems to be some kind of 'old friend'"

"Is there anything else?"

Kirei began to pull up the barricades on her stall as Leah poked her head out of her stall.

"Don't bother! You're not going to sell anything against my cucumbers!" Kirei lifted the roll up irrigated iron barricades up and hidden it under the fabric roof. She sighed and leaned over the counter.

"Perhaps you're right"

Later, Kirei returned to her apartment after a long day, she collapsed onto her bed, fluffing up her pillow and shoved her face into the pillow.

"Wam a terrimle day" She muffled through the pillow. Knocks rang on her bedroom window; she took one look and sat up immediately at the sight. Itachi, he was knocking on her bed room window, she immediately got up to open it.

Tamaki sat backwards on his wheelie chair glaring through the window. Usugi finished spewing out his information.

"I see...and where would we find this other witness"

"Probably at her home, now..."

Kirei opened the window to Itachi, standing on the roof of the below apartment, his cloak hood covering his face. He was cautious and kept scanning the area behind him.

"W-what are you doing here?"

"Well I just thought to give you some kind of good bye." He turned back from the scan of the area.

"Since I'll probably never see you again"

"Wha?"

Usugi opened the door for the two, outside the police main office.

"Follow me, I know a short cut"

Kirei made a pouty face.

"Never ever again?"

"Not after your boyfriend blabbed about me, you're going to be watched like a hawk from now on"

The group of men impended their dissent on Kirei's apartment, though they were still so far away.

"W-wait! So you did it then!" Itachi chuckled.

"So you've learned then?" He smirked at her.

"Would that be the reason you were sulking in your room the entire week?"

"Uh-um...ah..."

"I'll take that as a yes" Kirei looked away hiding her blush and avoided keeping eye contact with him.

"So did you do it or not?"

"I wouldn't be chased for 8 years if I didn't" Kirei remained silent staring at the bed before she gulped down a swig of courage.

"W-where are you going to go?" she whispered quietly.

"Not here"

The group ascended down the high walk way towards Kirei's apartment.

"There's her apartment"

Kirei turned back at Itachi, gripping her chest, staring him down as if she were almost trying to intimidate him.

"Could you...take me with you?" Itachi stepped back a bit; he stared at her with a questioning look.

"Take you...with me?"

"Yes...please"

"Even after what you've learned of me?"

"Of course"

"...Give me a reason why I should drag a useless person with me"

The trio containing of two ANBU and the police officer marched down the hall passing the many doors on the third floor. They approached Kirei's door. 3A.

"This is her place" They stood and waited as Usugi pressed the door bell button once, the sound of a mechanical hoarse tune could be heard through the door. They waited and waited.

"Hmm...no answer..." Usugi shook the door handle finding it open. He knocked on the door before entering and announcing his arrival.

"I'm coming in..." It didn't take much to see that something was wrong, just from the small tunnel vision of the table a head suggested that something awful has happened. The plant was tipped over and spilt over the table; there were glimpses of spilt liquids over the wooden panels that made the floor. Shattered bits of clay and card board covered over the liquid, dipping and slowly soaking up the blobs that sprawled the usually clean floor. Usugi staggered over to the end of the 'tunnel' and scanned over the damaged, which in short looked as if someone had a giant food fight with **everything** in the fridge. But what concerned the police officer was the rips and tears in the wall paper and the several kitchen knives that sunk into the wall, after either heavy stabbing or been throwing across the room.

"What's...this?" The ANBU also glanced over the scene but Usugi bolted for Kirei's bedroom.

"KIREI!" He thrusted the door open. This rooms was no different, the place was trashed the bed sheets thrown the bed stands toppled and broken, clothing thrown everywhere. Usugi could do nothing but stare, he stared and stared.

"She...she's gone..." One of the elite walked up behind him tapping him on the shoulder.

"Not quite yet"

Itachi sped through the forest; Kirei shut her eyes tight to avoid the great wind speed on them. She clung on to his back, keeping a tight grip as he bounced off the multiple tree branches. Itachi then suddenly stopped on a branch, stomping down hard on it. He made a small hop and landed on the ground. He leaned over so that Kirei could slide off easily.

"We can stay here for the night- you had better stay to your promise and not burden me" Kirei stepped on the ground lightly, keeping a hand on his shoulder.

"Well I'll try my best. It's not an easy promise to keep"

"Whatever, go gather some dry wood" Kirei huffed, staggering away from him as she began to compile a bunch of twigs in her arms. She reached down for another one with the bundle in her arms 'Well this feels familiar...'

Usugi walked down a small path leading away from the town, his black hair and sunglasses gleamed in the full moon. He approached the waiting ANBU's, one he had met before and another cloaked in a cream hood.

"So you're absolutely sure no one has passed this was..." The other nodded.

"Yes" Usugi stood next to the familiar ANBU as he turned to face him.

"It's not good; it seems that our hopes ride with the search team"

"So you defiantly think it's him?"

"Most certainly, not many people can pull a stunt like this" In a flash 4 images landed in their usual manor, blur. The two new elite ninja addressed them, accompanied by 2 dogs.

"Nothing" One said.

"The dogs lost the scent" He cursed under his masked breath. Usugi sombrely watched the calamity as it slowly came to him 'Kirei...'

'I hope you're safe...'

Hello!

Thanks for reading, you're all awesome! :D

No it's not finished yet...still more chapters to go, probably a LOT more chapters.

7


	11. Chapter 11 The getaway

Criminal Love – Chapter 11 – The getaway.

**Criminal Love **

Itachi and Kirei spied on a village from a distance, behind some bushes.

"We can stop here and change clothes" Kirei picked the leaves out of her hair and flicked them away.

"Hm?"

"To disguise ourselves" He faced her.

"So quickly pick out your clothes, I'll pay"

Itachi stood outside of a store zipping up his new jacket, staring at the door.

"Hurry up" Kirei stepped out.

"I'm coming, I'm coming" She did a little twirl and held her arms out.

"Tada" Itachi un caringly glanced over her new blouse, skirt, tights and boots.

"Alright, now we can leave" Kirei waltzed up to him casually.

"Already?"

"Yes"

"There are eyes everywhere Kirei. It would be bad to stay for too long"

"Aww but we just got here~"

"I'd rather not fight here and now" They began their walk down the concreted path, less benevolent to the eyes watching them from the short wooden roof tops.

"So where to now?"

"Somewhere more remote then here" they ducked under a high bridge.

"We can't even stay in a motel for a while?"

"No, we would be taking too much of a risk. Especially since we're already being followed" Kirei tugged at his sleeve.

"Then why did we buy new clothes?" Itachi stopped.

"Because I've been wearing that same shirt for 8 years" He then smirked.

"And I didn't like your other outfit."

"Say what?" Itachi quickly glanced up at some roofs. Kirei stopped glaring at him for a moment to follow his line of sight, but Itachi stopped her, scooping her with his arm he swept her forward.

"We should leave, _now_" Itachi started shoving her forward, away from the crowds and high bridge.

"What? Why?"

"We're too crowded at the moment. They're giving us no choice but to fight and I'd rather not have others around"

Kirei began to shuffle through the grass. The leaves in the forest rustle against the breeze. Itachi trailed directly behind her, she turned to him angrily.

"Can we stop and rest sometime?"

"This place doesn't seem to have people; we can rest for a while"

"A while?"

Deeper in the forest, but still in the edges of it, sat the two against a large tree. Flowers bloomed in some of the bushes nearby.

"...I really don't want to fight"

"We have no choice, unless you want to go to jail" Itachi turned to her.

"Just remember what you learned" Kirei sighed. Itachi flicked towards the edges of the forest.

"They're coming" right above them the leaves rustled violently. They both faced the source, directly above. A kunai knife zipped through the green. It was redirected by someone else holding their own, clanging with the sound of metal. The stray kunai spun out of control flying off somewhere. Silence remained as Itachi held his kunai up. Scanning the area with his bright red sharingan eyes, Kirei's heart pounded as she stared out where the kunai had flown away 'holy crap!'

Suddenly an ANBU landed with a thump in front of them. He was cloaked with a cream coloured cloak.

"Uchiha Itachi, you're under arrest. Remain still or we will use force. This is your only warning you are surrounded"

Above Kirei and Itachi the leaves rustled more gently to let them know they were there. Itachi yanked Kirei by her arm and held the kunai to her throat in front of the ANBU to see.

"Don't come any closer!"Kirei surprised stiffened in his grip 'that's right...' She thought back to the day Itachi explained the situation to her.

_Itachi held her hand and flicked her wrist for her, he let go and stepped back, handing her a shuriken. Kirei took the shuriken and threw it at the carved tree. She took another shuriken and threw it harder, it stuck into the bark but very far from the carved bull's eye. Itachi stepped back as Kirei snapped another at the tree._

"_Remember; the enforcement still thinks that I've kidnapped you. So after your first attack, they're going to start targeting you too" The shuriken thunked closer to Itachi's perfect bull's eye hit. She stopped, letting her arm rest by her side._

"_Maybe if you're lucky you can sneak attack them and still get away without them suspecting you" Kirei massaged her arm._

"_This of course means that you'll have to kill them" She stopped and looked over the targets._

"_You're not very good are you?" She glared back at him._

"_Heh?"_

The flash back ended as Itachi moved the kunai closer to her throat, pinching her skin. Keeping a tight grip on her shoulder, she stared at the kunai 'I know he's faking, but it's just too real!' Suddenly an ANBU shot out of the tree above, Itachi threw her on the ground, she scrapped the dirt up. The ANBU started making hand signs fast, but Itachi was already taking a deep breath. Rocks broke away from the ground and flew at Itachi just pass the ANBU who was flying head first towards the ground. But Itachi blew out a magnificent fire ball, it swirled forward as the ANBU just landed in a handstand, twisting himself to join his buddy in dodging the massive inferno. The flames twisted through the leaves crashing down trees and sending them alight, the flower and bushes burned and fell to the dirt. The two ANBU landed safely off the side of the blast. Kirei watched the spectacle from the dirt and grass in which she sat 'Wow! How am I supposed to attack _them_? Itachi seems to be able enough to fight them off on his own' She flinched as Itachi pounded one of them in the stomach; he fell as the other charged at Itachi with his sword. A sharp noise from the previous tree caught Kirei's brief attention. Itachi held his kunai and charged back at the sword wielding ANBU and left his other hand open, he snatched the sword by the blunt side just before the blow and manoeuvred the direction off to his side. He pierced his victim's throat and used his sword to pierce the chest of the man behind him that had planned to catch him off-guard. Blood stained his hands, blood stained their clothes. They gave a final yelp in agony and slipped to the ground. Kirei covered her mouth, and watched the two thumped together on the ground after Itachi ripped his kunai out. She trembled and her heart thumped loudly in her ears. Itachi turned and tore the sword out of the man and stabbed the unconscious one on the ground from earlier. He stood and turned to her after throwing the sword on the ground next to them. Kirei flinched and gave panicked look, her eyes filled with tears of terror.

"Kirei if you can't handle this, then you better just stay" She trembled as the tears ran down her cheeks.

"No-no...I'll come..." She struggled a bit to stand and then walk over to him, wiping her tears.

"We better leave now before back-up arrives" she stared at the bloodied bodies and rubbed her cheeks some more.

"Just give me a moment"

"You can stuff your face with comfort food later, we need to leave now" She looked at him, and sighed heavily.

"Alright"

Kirei sat on a bench in another town licking on an ice cream cone. Itachi sat next to her with his recently purchased lunch box and bottled tea. She blankly stared at the parked cart in front 'Why am I even with him? He's a murderer!' Her thoughts drifted to the vision of the ANBU being punctured 'He didn't give a second thought to those two' A cuter version of Itachi with his short black hair and big eyes with a wide smile 'It's nothing like before...I wonder...what on earth happened...' Her thoughts snapped away at Itachi's voice.

"Kirei!" He had set aside his drink, facing her.

"My, my" You must be thinking of something important"

"W-what? What makes you say that?"

"Well for one thing, you have ice cream all over your face" He twitched a snigger at the cream smothered on her mouth and cheeks and nose.

"And it's dribbling over your hands and onto the grass..." Kirei touched her face, and swung the cone away from dripping on her clothing, holding it out.

"WAAAAAAH!"

"Ha ha maybe you should pay more attention to what you're eating" Itachi continued to chuckle. Kirei stared at him a he finished and stared back.

"Hm? What are you looking at?" Kirei smiled to herself.

"Nothing" She said but the image of Itachi's smile flashed its way to Kirei's memory 'So cute! I guess I could stay with him a little longer' Itachi handed her napkin as she started wiping at the sticky cream.

"Here you better eat your ice cream quickly now, half of it is already on your hand"

"Aaaaaaah!" Kirei looked at her hand and panicked as it clumps slide down her very gross hand.

"You're going to need more napkins" Kirei took the napkin and watched the ice cream.

"Guh..."

"Tsk, Tsk I guess you're going to have to buy more, you know too much of that stuff and you'll be fat" Kirei finished wiping her face and angrily glared at Itachi.

"What are you suggesting?" Itachi glared back.

"Nothing I'm just saying you'll _become_ fat if you keep eating that"

"Hmph"

Back at the inn room Kirei sat on her separate bed munching on biscuits, back facing Itachi, hunched over and glaring at the window. Itachi sighed at the sight.

"You know how difficult it would be to travel with you if you were fat?" Kirei only ate faster. Itachi sighed again.

"You're being very troublesome Kirei" Kirei turned her head just enough to stare Itachi down.

"So you would just leave me because I got FAT?"

"No. I'm just saying it would be hard to get away, if you're too heavy" Kirei turned away from him, and prepared another cookie for her mouth.

"Hmph! That weight could be muscle!"

"Well if you had _that_ much muscle then I wouldn't have to carry you!" Kirei turned back to him glaring at him.

"Maybe I can't run as fast as you!"

"Then all that muscle is equivalent to fat! **Useless!**"

"You're the one who told me I could have my comfort food!"

"That was one ice cream..."

"Not the entire store!" Itachi was referring to the masses of cans, wrappers and crumbs that lay over the bed next to her. She just grabbed another chip packet and tore it open. She glared back at Itachi.

"I'VE BEEN TRAUMATIZED!"

"And you can't purge on something healthy"

"_**NO!**_"

"It wouldn't be comforting!"

"Tsk"

Kirei shoved the whole chips in her mouth at fast speeds. Itachi crept up behind her, wrapping his arms around her neck and nesting his chin on top of her head. Kirei immediately stopped and turned to him, making him get off her head.

"Wha-what are you doing?"

"I'm comforting you" She turned back at the window and Itachi re-sat his head on top of hers.

"Wha-why?" He whispered.

"'cause you're upset...and I don't want you to spend so much of my money on food" Kirei re-turned and glared at Itachi.

"Heh!" Itachi kept his hand on her shoulder.

"Hmph" Itachi picked up a can off the bed.

"See? Look, a little cuddle made you completely forget about food" Kirei stared at Itachi.

"Now imagine how much money I would save if we cuddled all the time..." Kirei puffed her cheeks and glared at him.

Itachi and Kirei slept in separate beds, with a mass of all the furniture Kirei could put her hands on in between them. She drooled on her pillow but Itachi stayed awake staring at the wall in thought.

Kirei yawned rubbing her eye, Itachi walked next to her.

"Still tired" He stared at her.

"Maybe you shouldn't have stayed up all night moving the furniture"

"Pfffffft!" She stopped and glared him.

"Well if you wouldn't be all in creepy rapist mode..." She drifted off as something caught her eye off in the distance.

"I wouldn't have" Kirei stared at the corner that had caught her eye.

"Hm? What is it?" She continued to stare at the corner turning to Itachi.

"Oh, it's nothing I thought I saw...no. Nothing..." Itachi carefully watched her.

During lunch Kirei in the middle of eating noodles spotted something else, in the window out the open door. Itachi glared but saw nothing but the normal crowds of people just passing by, nothing suspicious. Kirei stopped glaring at the window and let the noodles hang and drip all over her. Itachi sighed.

The rest of the day they spent together at this town they spent, Kirei continuously kept seeing something and gasping, making a shocked face. For the fourth time that day Itachi interrupted Kirei's weird spasms.

"Kirei!" She snapped out of the trance and faced Itachi.

"You've been seeing things all day now, tell me what it is" Kirei sighed and glanced at the area she spotted it before.

"Well I think it's ..." She stopped mid-sentence and glared.

"There he is!" She sprinted down the street.

"Hey wait! Who? Who's he!" Kirei skidded around the corner and around the building.

"Kirei!" Itachi barely spotted her flicking long hair disappear around the corners.

She continued to sprint down the streets into the thick forests outside the town, she slowed down at the clearing, bending over and huffing. A blur instantly flashed in front of her.

"Itachi!" He glared at her.

"This has gone far enough Kirei; now tell me what's going on"

"The guy! He's in the tree!"

"Who? Who's in the tree?" Itachi looked behind him at the tree that sat at the edge of the clearing over a small cliff, it rustled un-naturally a bit. Itachi turned to the sides as many people jumped into the clearing, he scanned them all, police – not very high in rank, and generally weak, especially if they're up against someone like Itachi. Kirei spotted the person again and, again shouted over energetically.

"There!" Itachi faced the large tree again. Kirei calmed down and glared.

"I knew it...It's...Tamaki!"

!

7


	12. Chapter 12 He returns!

Criminal Love – Chapter 12 – He returns!

**Criminal Love**

Tamaki stood in the tree overlooking the clearing. He leaned on the trunk and loudly spoke to his audience of Kirei, Itachi and the many surrounding police force just outside the tree line.

"Kirei...finally we meet again my lover...and Uchiha Itachi." Itachi stared at the blonde man in the tree, his eyes were dark with bags underneath them, his hair was messy and he couldn't seem to stop shaking. Itachi continued to stare blankly.

"Who are you again?" Tamaki gripped the tree, scratching the bark.

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY YOU'VE FORGOTTEN ME UCHIHA ITACHI! I'M KIREI'S BOYFRIEND!" He exploded. Kirei crawled up behind Itachi, clamping on his arm, hiding behind his tallness.

"You're not my boyfriend! I dumped you!" She cried behind Itachi pointing at him. Tamaki smiled and chuckled awfully, building to a hacking choke of a laugh. He stopped and breathed heavily, he shrugged.

"What~? I never heard of this...We're still going out" Kirei remained behind Itachi using him as inanimate shield.

"Well I'm DUMPING you again!" Tamaki glared and tensed horribly.

"Lies! You cannot break up with me! No-one breaks up with me! You must be a fake! THE REAL KIREI WOULD _NEVER_ BREAK UP WITH **ME. ****GET THEM!**" Kirei clenched at Itachi's jacket as Itachi boardly stared at the tree in front. Kirei watched as the various police began to close in on them. Kirei spun around seeing the other men stalk in closer; she turned around so that she was back-to-back with Itachi. She kept watching them close in, panicking.

"O-Oi! Itachi! We have some trouble" Itachi stayed silent watching the tree still and unmoved. Kirei turned around a bit at the sound of a thump. Tamaki had landed down from the tree. She gripped Itachi's sleeve again.

"Tamaki! Stop this! You know it's me!" Tamaki darkly watched Kirei; he grinned and shrugged his arms.

"But you tried to break up with me! The real Kirei would never break up with me" She faced him properly slightly gaping. Itachi faced her, still holding his stance strong.

"Don't bother Kirei, nothing will convince him, I don't even believe his real target is you" Kirei ticked at that.

"Not his real..." Kirei's sentence was cut off as a man charged at her holding sword up high accompanied by another running by his side.

"!" She faced him in fear. But Itachi had already grabbed another charger by his vest and swung him at the man charging next to the one with the sword. They collided and went flying off into the trees together. The sword wielder ignored the two fly past and continued charging, Itachi ducked down as he neared closer. He sent a hard kick to his stomach also sending him flying to the trees with the others, another bigger man slowly jogged up to them. Tamaki watched his men fly and crash into the tree trunks. Kirei gasped and gaped at the sight 'This is insane! Everyone moves so fast and yet so slow at the same time!' Itachi slowly stood upright then suddenly in a flash slide kicked the big man sending him toppling over with a big crash. She watched him crash over 'And Itachi is just being plain amazing!' The man fell and Itachi spun and faced Kirei.

"Kirei, these people are great practice for you"

"But..." He glared.

"Kirei, are you saying you want to disobey me and just stand there doing nothing?"

"N-no...but" She retreated a bit in her spot.

"If you don't kick, punch or topple someone now, I'll leave you here"

"It's just I don't want to beat them up" She shyly looked at the ground.

"Hmph" Tamaki's voice overruled all the others.

"VERY GOOD UCHIHA ITACHI!" He held his fist in the air, shaking it at him.

"You are a formidable foe! But I will defeat you!" Kirei and Itachi watched him as the others snuck up behind them.

"AND I WILL RETURN Y HONOUR! EVEN GREATER THAN BEFORE! _!_" Kirei sombrely watched him laugh his head off at the sky.

"Tamaki..." She clasped her hands together and pledged to him.

"Tamaki! Listen! If you want you can take m back! But you have to stop this!" In the background Itachi swung his leg out slamming the last officer. Tamaki chuckled.

"Why would I do that? Itachi's my only target!" She put her hands down and gaped at this. Itachi stood up and turned around.

"You were only my prize!" She gasped and tensed up. Itachi watched as she clenched her fists, boom! Suddenly the flames of anger and hatred burned her surroundings.

"_**YOU BASTARD! I KILL YOU!**_" Tamaki scoffed and held his hands on his hips, smirking.

"Pfft, what can you do?" In the moment he opened his eyes Kirei was already up in the air in front of him.

"HAA!" Her leg swung around fast, with the cloud leading from Itachi to her starting to settle. Tamaki had hardly time to react as Kirei's black boot made contact to his oh-so-beautiful face. She ended her kick still in mid air as Tamaki was sent zooming through the forests, and halting at a large tree, breaking the bark away at the impact zone.

He lay breathing hard, bleeding and exhausted 'thank god that's over' the sound of hard thumping crescendo closer and closer. He looked up at the image of a black menacing blur zooming past on the trail of broken bushes and fallen trees he had previously cleared.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" It cried. Tamaki squinted with his swollen face 'what?' A closer look could see it was Kirei, hungry for more revenge. Tamaki immediately stood up against the tree waving his arm in the air, as she enclosed the gap.

"ALIGHT, ALRIGHT! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY!" He cried. Kirei leaped into the air, holding her arm in poise. She threw it at him he ducked in time. Kirei's fists collided with the tree bark and scraped against it in a diagonal angle. The bark was crumpling and flying up past them both. Tamaki made an incredulous face, all tensed and sweaty. Kirei glared at him and prepared her other fist. Itachi zoomed in just in time, catching her mid-air and stopping her throwing the punch. She gasped as she sat more comfortably in his arms, feet still not touching the ground. Her hand bled from the shark fibres of the tree bark.

"Itachi?"

"Stop this Kirei, he's beaten up enough" They looked at him, Tamaki sat on the up ground root, trembling. Kirei put her arm around Itachi's neck and puffed his cheeks up at him. She then launched an attempt attack at Tamaki, but was pulled back by Itachi's grip. She was left with futile flailing and wriggling. Tamaki flinched higher onto the root. Itachi struggled to keep her of the ground, and looked at Tamaki.

"Get out of here, she'll start kicking soon." Kirei hissed horribly, Tamaki trembled and gasped in revelation. He hopped over the root and sprinted off. Kirei's struggles ended when he disappeared from sight. She huffed and threw her fists down by her sides.

"Tsk, _Guh!_ Why did you let him get away?" Itachi watched her carefully before letting her slip gently down.

"Because..." She stepped on the ground and he let go.

"You were angry...you could have beaten him to death" Itachi removed his hands off Kirei as she glared back at him.

"But you heard! A prize? You would be angry if you were only prize!"

"You..." Itachi was cut short when Tamaki's voice echoed.

"I WILL RETURN UCHIHA ITACHI! I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE! KIREI WILL BE MINE !" Kirei launched herself towards the voice.

"GRRRRRR!" Itachi caught her and held her back by her shoulders.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow..." Kirei's eyes watered as she sat on the hotel bed, Itachi held her hand and rubbed the ointment onto it. She was covered in scratches and plasters.

"Tsk, this is what you get for punching a tree before proper training" She flinched and shuffled away.

"Nnnnnnng..."

"Try to hold still" Itachi continued to smear the ointment over the wound.

"Hmph, to think you were going to give yourself up so easily" Kirei stared at him as she remembered back then.

"_Tamaki Listen! If you want you can take me back! But you have to stop this!"_ Itachi smirked and looked up from her hand and glanced to the bed.

"Only one bed this time Kirei, so you can't build your barrier" Kirei glanced at the bed then back at Itachi in a slight frightened look. Itachi smirked more then showed Kirei her bandaged hand.

"There finished" Itachi put his hand on Kirei's shoulder surprising her.

"Now..." He leaned over her.

"Let's start something different" Itachi leaned in closer to Kirei's face, Kirei's heart raced as Itachi closed in the gap between their lips. BAM! A fist smacked Itachi right into the face before they could touch. Kirei was now fully lying on the bed with Itachi on top. She was bright red and flailing around.

"OFF! OFF! OFF! OFF! OFF! OFF! OFF! OFF!" She was face steaming and puffing out. Itachi loomed over her holding his cheek.

"Tsk..." He got off her and sat off to the side; Kirei immediately sat up and flailed her bandaged hand around.

"GAH! OW, OW, OW, OW, OW!" Itachi sat closer to her.

"And that's what you get for punching me" She stopped as Itachi held her very red face.

"Do you really still have feelings for that guy?" Kirei went even more red and panicked.

"Ah! AH! Well!" Itachi smothered a snigger and turned away from her.

"PFFFT! I can't look at your face when it's that red"

PAF! A pillow met Itachi's side, he lifted it away and glare at it.

"Kirei! Are you going to let me sleep!" Kirei hovered over him on her side of the bed, separated by a smaller pillow. She held the pillow to the ready.

"NOT UNTILL I'M SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO RAPE ME!" Itachi turned to her, his bare chest showing over the cover, he glared coldly at her.

"I could rape you right now, if you don't stop" Kirei froze at the glare and instantly backed off, waving and scooting away to the very edge.

"Alright, alright I'll stop. No need to be hasty!" She chucked the pillow down and patted it.

"S-see? I'll sleep now" She splattered her head to her pillow and closed her eyes tight.

"G-good night!" Itachi watched the side of the separating pillow and secretly smiled.

Kirei shuffled in the morning in the arms of someone, as she hazily opened her eyes and sit up. She immediately sat up in the bed staring at the person who was cuddling her in bed. Itachi woke up at the sudden shift of movement. Kirei glared at him with a red face.

"W-what are you doing?" Itachi lazily watched her.

"Do you really need to shout so early in the morning?" Itachi wiped his eye and yawned.

"I think it's fairly obviously what I was doing" Kirei went a bright red and made an incredulous face at him. Itachi got up immediately throwing the blanket off.

"Really Kirei, if you don't feel that way about me then why are you even here?"He stomped quickly to the door and slammed the door to the bathroom behind him. Kirei watched the door and grasped her chest 'he's right...what AM I doing here?' She lay back down puffing the fluffy bed, she sighed and thought deeply.

'_Was it for my family? My past?' Her memory of her parents shined at her._

'_To get away from him?' Tamaki smirked and winked at her._

'_Or maybe...' Suddenly a very naked version of sex ready Itachi winked at her and gestured her to come closer "come here sexy~" he said with that smirk._

Kirei opened her eyes wide and tensed up 'what was that!' She got up and looked around and stared at the blank open space where Itachi slept. Fumes of his sent wafted into the air; Kirei sniffed a bit then covered her nose with her hand and stared in disgust.

"Well that's my problem I can't think straight like this"

Itachi emerged from the bathroom, jacket half zipped up. He paused to look at Kirei; who was hanging half out the low window.

"What are you doing?" Kirei huffed and lifted her head up to look out at the horizon.

"Your pheromones were stinking up the room. I couldn't think" Itachi zipped up the rest of his jacket.

"My pheromones aye?" Itachi coughed a sniggering smirk.

"And what did my pheromones do to your thoughts?" Kirei gasped and blushed, her thoughts drifted to things children are not allowed to see. She panicked and blurted out.

"NOTHING!" Itachi continued to wear that confident grin and waltz past her.

"Right...sure, whatever the case, hurry up so we can leave"

Bleah exams D:

4


	13. Chapter 13 Revelations

Criminal Love – Chapter 13 - Revelations

**Criminal Love**

Kirei trailed behind Itachi, slumping side-to-side. She watched his back as he trampled on the small grass blades and bushes in the forest. She glazed over his back and ponytail 'I still don't know why I'm here' She bit her lip and looked up to the back of his head 'it's all too confusing' Itachi turned around suddenly and looked at her.

"You've been staring at me for the past 4 hours, it's like you're carefully planning to rape me" Kirei's face went all red then her head exploded in a burst of steam. She stood upright and tensed her shoulders together.

"What? What kind of accusation is that!" Itachi smirked and comfortably put his hands on his waist.

"Doesn't matter what kind as as long as it's true or not" Kirei tensed even more then stretched onto her tip toes.

"Of course not! Who would do that?" Itachi leaned over her.

"Well I don't know, a rapist, a very clever sex addict, a stalker lusting me?" Kirei clicked at the last suggestion and went red again. She turned to him and yelled.

"Wait, hang on! You LET me follow you around"

"You still follow me around"

"Hab! AAH! W-Well you're a man-whore!" Itachi stood straight again and winked at her.

"Well we better get going..."

"I'M NOT PLANNING TO RAPE YOU!" Itachi smirked and began to walk off; Kirei stood still, red and puffed cheeks she glared at him 'sick pervert'

Fireworks blew up in the sky with vibrant colours as many people dressed in traditional kimono and yukatas roamed the lantern lit streets dotted with small game tables and food stalls preparing food for the masses.

Itachi and Kirei hid above the road leading inside the city on a nearby cliff hill. They watched the mass crowds gather inside the walls behind some bushes. Itachi whispered.

"It looks like they're having a festival"

"Don't touch me" Itachi kept watching the crowd then turned to her.

"You're still mad from before?" She glared at him.

"Yes" Itachi shifted the bush over and peered past it.

"Hmph, we can hide more easily in the crowd"

Itachi and Kirei walked amongst the crowds, she pulled a worried face as they got closer to the gates. She glanced around nervously at the people.

"It...Feels weird being out in the open again"

"Don't worry you'll relax soon" Kirei halted and Itachi followed as they stood in the shadow of the massive gates. It stood tall against the sky. Lanterns hung from the tiled edge of the roof. Kirei stared in awe.

"Whoa"

Once inside they roamed around the stalls when one caught Kirei's eye.

"Ooooooooooh!" Itachi followed her line of sight to the goldfish stall.

"Goldfish?" Kirei brought out a big smile.

"I wanna play 3" Itachi glanced at her.

"Hmm?"

Kirei stood in front of the stall eyeing up the swimming fish around. Kirei held out the coins to the supervisor. Itachi leaned over her shoulder watching the fish in the blue tub built in the table. The supervisor held out two paper nets for them. Itachi watched Kirei give the money.

"How are we even suppose to take care of a goldfish?"Kirei ignored him and took the nets.

"Here" He said. Itachi took one then watched Kirei as her face morphed into game-mode-time. He sighed and concentrated on his tub. In a flash Kirei scooped up a large goldfish up out of the water, making a lot of noise and splashing everywhere. Kirei lifted the net in triumph, but at that moment it ripped and the fish fell to the water. Kirei cried as it splashed with its buddies. Itachi held his net firm as a fish flapped around, watching Kirei's fish swim around. Kirei sank to the floor and stared through the giant hole in her net.

"Here, congratulations!" She heard. She turned around to see Itachi accepting the plastic bag with the tiny fish. She stared at the fish as Itachi stared back at her. Itachi handed her the bag with a huff.

"Here" Kirei excitedly cried in awe. She then poked the bag and watched the fish circle. Itachi glanced around.

"Come on; let's find a pond to put it in" Kirei immediately pulled her face away from the bag and whined.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAT?" She cried and pledged to Itachi.

"B-but we just got it!"

"We can't just keep it in a bag!" Itachi stared her down leaning over her from the ground.

"Come on, get up"

"Awwwww" Kirei lifted the bag up again and watched the fish.

Itachi stood in front of a pond in a garden of a recently abandoned house; the residents probably out for the evening. It had a fancy green slime pond with a white stone bridge leading to the door. There were large koi swimming around and under the hanging bushes near the water.

"Well this place is as good as any other" Itachi turned around.

"Hurry up" Kirei trudged along, dressed in a new jacket, with an octopus mask set off side of her head, eating a big fluffy fluff of cotton candy.

"Ugh, why does the only pond have to be so far?" Itachi glared at her and her many newly bought accessories.

"We wouldn't have taken so long if you didn't go to every stall" Kirei looked back at him with the same kind of look.

"When am I ever going to get this experience again? I like to have some kind of memory?"

"You'll get plenty opportunities believe me"

"Hmph"

"Just give me the fish" Kirei took a big chomp out of the cotton candy.

"I wanna see where he'z going firt" Itachi nodded to the direction of the pond and Kirei waltzed up to it. She leaned over the edge and watched the koi inside swim around in the moss. She squatted and looked back at Itachi.

"These fish are too big, they'll pick on him"

"It's good enough" Itachi leaned over her.

"Kirei...do you really want to walk another kilometre to find another?" Kirei looked back at the pond.

"...no"

"Then give me the fish" Kirei handed the bag over to him. He took it then dipped it into the water; he undid the tie at the opening.

"There..."The goldfish swam out and circles several times. Itachi leaned back with Kirei and watched him.

"See? He's fine"

Itachi and Kirei began to leave the property slowly. They stopped as the sound and sight of large splashing in the pond suddenly erupted. Kirei spun around, tears beginning to form in her eyes. Itachi gripped her shoulder, holding her back. Kirei was gasping in panic.

"Kirei, leave it" He said calmly.

"!" The forest echoed with Kirei's shriek.

Kirei sat hunched over on the table, porcelain cup in hand, tears stained her cheeks, that octopus mask still sat on the side of her face. Itachi sat opposite her on the table, in their little surrounded cubicle.

"Relax Kirei, it was only a fish" Kirei sat up, swiped the cup and slammed her hand down on the table.

"YOU DIDN'T LOVE HIM LIKE I DID!" Itachi flinched a bit 'she's drunk...' He took his own cup and sipped at it 'I'm going to need some help with this...' Kirei's cheeks dripped with her tears, they were red with the way-too-much alcohol consumption. She turned dramatically off to the side.

"He was a good fish..." She then sat back and pointed then at the top of her voice yelled.

"AND YOU KILLED HIM!" a few surrounding people turned to stare or flinched. Itachi worryingly shushed her.

"Kirei, keep your voice down" Kirei sharply glared at him, whispering.

"Murderer" Itachi immediately sat up and walked over to Kirei's side of the table, holding his cup by his fingers he motioned Kirei to move over. She shuffled sideways watching him carefully.

"What are you...?" Itachi sat boardly next to her. He put his cup on the table and faced her.

"I just wanted to sit next to you, is that a crime?" Kirei looked away.

"It's alright Kirei, you can cry" She turned to him again, his eyes were softer.

"..Of your loss...of...Nemo" Kirei began to tear up and bit her lip. She immediately cried aloud and threw herself at Itachi.

"!" Itachi flinched at the sudden contact. Her tears flew behind her as she cuddled up with him. Itachi relaxed and patted her back.

"There, there Kirei...I'm...sure he's in a better place"

"WAAAAAAH!" She hiccupped and clenched Itachi.

"H-how do you know?" Itachi paused at her.

"I don't" She cried louder and buried her face into his chest, Itachi looked away. She hiccupped more with short breaths through all the crying. Itachi took his cup and sipped it; he placed the cup back on the table and poured more sake into it.

Kirei sipped some more sake then she leaned back on the cushioned seats. Itachi leaned on the table; his face was now bright red as well. He watched Kirei with a smile. He wobbled about and watched Kirei some more.

"Y'know Kirei you're reeeeaaaly pretty" Kirei automatically attached herself to his slightly unzipped body laughing. She cuddled him cutely. She then clumsily smacked his cheek and stared into his eyes.

"And you have GORGEOUS eyes" She stopped slapping his face and held it, pinching it sometimes; Itachi leaned down looking back into her eyes.

"Thank..." He was cut off by Kirei pulling a fast one; she pulled Itachi down and smushed her lips against his. Itachi relaxed and cuddled her back leaning backwards, he continued to lean backwards but then fell off the chair and to the floor. Half off the chair; he lay with Kirei on top, continuously giggling childishly. The last worker spotted them and called out.

"Hey! You two! Go somewhere else for that!" They sat up and laughed their heads off. Kirei slapped the ground from the epic laughter.

Kirei and Itachi burst into the room, fully tonguing each other. Kirei's mask dropped onto the floor with her bag, Itachi pushed her back onto the wall still lip locked. Itachi tugged onto Kirei's hair tie, her hair fell smoothly down, he threw it onto the floor along with her shoe and jacket and his headband.

The next morning birds chirped and the sun brightly rose into the sky. Kirei blinked open her eyes, she clicked as her memory returned from the night before. She spun around quickly to check for him. All she found was a very neatly tucked in bed sheet. Kirei angrily glared at it 'He's gone! I knew it! Only letting me hangs around to have sex with me!' Suddenly there was a heavy pounding in her head, she flinched and held her head. She turned around and stared out the window with a melancholious face. Suddenly the door to the bathroom clicked open, she spun around, her heart beating with excitement. Itachi held his towel in place as he closed the door. He stared at Kirei with a confused face. Kirei immediately spun around AGAIN, hands covering face blurting out.

"BWAH YOU'RE NAKED!" Itachi stood dripping wet from his shower, staring at Kirei's frantic panicking 'and you're not?' Itachi was right after all she did just wake up, her clothes still sprawled over the floor. Itachi smirked and held one hand on his hip then in a swift motion pulled his towel off his body. Kirei looked back at him, curious of the noise. She peeked through the gaps in her fingers. PAF! Sudden face to towel contact. Kirei immediately pulled it off.

"WAAAAH!" In front of her stood Itachi, in full view, he cheekily shook his hips side to side. Kirei flinched in disturbance. She flailed the towel in front of her, shutting her eyes tight.

"OH MY GOSH! PUT SOME CLOTHES ON!" Itachi secretly chuckled then quickly zoomed up close to her, their faces almost touching. Itachi remained impassive with his expression.

"Why?" Kirei backed off and held the towel conveniently over her bare chest. Itachi continued to crawl over her as she backed into the head rest. He smirked.

"You enjoyed me naked soooo much last night" Kirei blushed and gasped.

Kirei sighed with the throbbing pain of her headache. She shuffled miserably behind Itachi's fast confident march through the streets. She lifted her arm up and pleaded to him.

"Hey Itachi...wait up" Itachi gave her the cold shoulder for a while before halting and turning to her.

"I don't want to get too close to you" He turned back and shut his eyes tight, a bright red stain stung his right cheek in the shape of a hand print.

"Otherwise you might slap me again" Kirei stood up right in her spot.

"That was an accident! And besides you were coming on to me!" Itachi flicked his head off to the side.

"Hmph" Kirei sighed and leaned over, biting her lip 'he's mad...' She stood back up straight as Itachi quickly marched off again with clenched fists by his side.

"Hey, hey! Wait up! Itachi!"

Kirei sprinted to catch up to him; he was beginning to fade within the still trees.

"Itachi! Wait!" She would call. He finally stopped and annoying glared at her.

"Stop your shouting you might attract someone bad" She sped up to him, breathing heavily.

"I get it you're mad, but it's just..." Itachi paused for her to continue.

"I..." She huffed for breath.

"I..."

"I..."

"I..." Itachi stared at her with more annoyance.

"I-I-I?" She sharply bowed over and and shouted.

"I LIKE YOU!" she waited as Itachi stared in the silence, it was as if the forest had just woken up and was waiting for the reply, or it just continued to not care and carried on sleeping. Itachi bluntly cut the silence with a matter of fact tone.

"Yeah I guessed _that_ when you had hot sex with me" Kirei glared at him as he continued.

"Really, did you think I was going to be so ignorant of it?" He sighed.

"Really Kirei...you can be so childish" Kirei clenched her shirt and smiled; her eyes twinkled and sparkled with gladness. Itachi smiled back with his relaxed eyes.

"My, my. What a sweet heart, Aye? Itachi" Kirei and Itachi suddenly looked up at the sound of the new voice. Up above then squatted in the branch, he had a black cloak and a bright orange spirally mask with spiky black hair poking up from behind it.

"She's a real cutie~" Kirei stared back at the strange man; gaping.

"You've had enough time to spend with her" Itachi glared back at him.

"But it's about time you come back to me" The man held up his fingers, and snapped them. Itachi twitched then suddenly relaxed greatly, his shoulders dropped down as if he was sleep walking; his eyes drooped and became dark and lifeless. Kirei turned to him surprised.

"Itachi?" The man waved his hand.

"Come Itachi, it's time to go" Kirei gasped as Itachi disappeared from her side and reappeared next to the now standing man. Kirei's heart began to beat faster as she was slowly realising something was wrong. She turned to them, tears seeping through her lashes.

"Itachi?" Suddenly the two distorted, like a large spiral the image spun their bodies towards the middle. A loud buzzing, swirling sound echoed the shivering forest. Kirei clenched her teeth together and reached for her secret pouch hidden up her thigh, behind her skirt. Her heart pounded harder. She pulled out a shuriken and skidded her feet into position, then with all her might she threw it. The shuriken spun, cutting the air as it did. The spiral had already swallowed their legs and was at their ankles. The shuriken thunked against the branch, digging itself into the bark as the distortment shrank, spinning clock-wise to anticlockwise and clock-wise before zipping shut forever. Kirei stared at the space as the sound bounced off the trees and faded away. She gasped with her eyes wide. She dropped to her knees 'Itachi?' the tears began to slip down her soft face.

'_Itachi...'_

**AUTHOR NOTES**

:O Oh noes!

This is the last fully drawn chapter I have!

Now you're all going to have to wait until the next ones finished

Maybe I can post some old Itachi fics I have.

Well during the wait maybe you think over the chapters with these questions :3

Does Itachi seem like an ass to you?

How do you like Kirei?

Should I be more descriptive?

Do you understand my gibberish?

How many questions should I make?

When I use metaphors (Well I'm pretty sure they're metaphors) do you enjoy them?

Would you enjoy the high school scene?

Would you enjoy some of my older mangas with horrible story plots, Mary sues and REALLY OOC Itachi's (All unfinished)?

Should I try to hand in ALL these chapters to my teacher for my creative writing assessment? (Even though the criteria is a 400 word story about transition -_-)

What should the REAL 10th question be?

7


	14. Chapter 14 Independence

Criminal love – chapter 14 - Independence

**Criminal Love **

Kirei sighed after gulping down a swig of sake. She leaned on her hand and stared out at the dark, empty restaurant. Her new buckled outfit merged into the dark. A few seconds of silence went by, but it was disturbed by a lumpy man stumbling up to Kirei's table. He held a beer glass in one hand and leaned onto the pillar near the table; he winked and acted as cool as possible.

"Hey there chicky, wanna go out back with me? _Heh heh_?" Kirei watched him in disturbed annoyance, she reached up and grabbed up the man's clothing; surprising him, causing him to drop the glass. She tugged him down quickly, then thrusting him onto the table, pulling his arm behind his back and held down his torso in a flash.

"I don't think so buddy, I'm not that kind of girl." The man sobbed and huffed quickly in panic.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'll leave!" He sobbed with tears running down his face.

"I'm sooorry! I'm sorry!" Kirei glared at him.

"Hmph" She lifted her arms up high letting him go. He quickly stood up, spinning around and then ran away, arms held high, crying out loud with tears flowing away from his face. Kirei stared at the man continue to run out the door.

'Oh Itachi...if you were here, he wouldn't even have come up to me...' Kirei then re-imagined the moment. The man cluttered up to the table with a bright smile, the smile fell as soon as he set eyes on the man who's arm hung around Kirei. He glared with murderous intent. Kirei smiled and clung to Itachi's chest, sparkling in happiness. Itachi's glare only deepened at the man, he reacted with fear, and eventually Itachi's eyes bled the words "Fuck-off", the man then proceeded to run away screaming like a little girl seeing a large insect.

Kirei punched the wall in the alley way hard and trembled with emotion. 'Stupid Itachi...' Her face flushed her eyes watery she clenched her fist and wound it up for another throw.

"Where the heck are you!" She screamed, throwing her punch at the wall again. She continued to throw punches at the wall, pounding it heavily. She took a deep breath and wound up her next, she pushed to the wall as hard as she could. At contact there was a terrible crackling sound, the pain shot up her arm. She grit her teeth at the pain, immediately she removed her hand from the wall, it trembled and went limp, the loose bone dangled by the tendons. She grabbed her hand with the other, holding it close to her chest she cried out.

"!"

Night shone down cleanly onto the hospital as the cool breeze wafted through the trees. Kirei patiently sat on the white bed, the doctor walked in past the curtain with a smile on his face, which was hard to see past his ridiculous large round glasses, at least in Kirei's state in was.

"Here you go Ms. Kaa, all better" He stared at her neatly wrapped hand.

"Maybe you should stay the night to sober up..." Kirei watched the ground with tear dried stains on her face.

"No, I'll leave..."

"...alright"

Kirei left the hospital and waved at the doctor.

"Bye"

"Good night Ms. Kaa, try not to punch anymore brick walls..." Kirei continued down the path to the gate, she sighed and looked at the bright white moon in the sky 'Itachi...' She glared at it and clenched her fist 'You're annoyingly hard to find'

A couple days later...in a completely different town...

Kirei sat at a bar playing with the glass in front of her. People mingled quietly between each other in the dim lit smoky room.

"So I hear you're working with some real hard core criminals...Akatsuki was it? Heh going up in the world" Kirei clenched the glass with her wrapped up hand.

"Ssssssh! I wouldn't want someone to find out!" Kirei's ears perked up at the information 'A lead!' Kirei spotted the two men push open the doors and walk into the night.

"Come on, I have to go back now"

"Boy you crooks work hard ha-ha ha-ha ha-ha ha-ha ha-ha ha!" Kirei swiftly slid her payment onto the bar and stood, trailing carefully behind. She stood in front the doors and watched the two walk off into the dark 'From what I've found out Uchiha Itachi...was in some kind of organization called Akatsuki...' Kirei followed them, hiding behind a building edge and watching them turn around corners 'He served them for about 7 years...The members are dressed in black cloaks with red clouds...the same as that guy from before with the mask who took Itachi!' A picture of the man popped into Kirei's head. She glared at the two careless men laugh their heads off and stumbles down the alley ways.

'Therefore...' She skimmed across the concrete and lay flat against the wall 'Find Akatsuki...'

'Find Itachi!'

She stood blankly in front of a raunchy strip club in a lowly alley way. She stared at the broken sign that held on top of the double doors, the windows in the entire area were boarded up.

Kirei continued to stare in disgust 'ugh...A strip club...' Kirei's thoughts were disturbed by giggles. She glanced in the direction, three strippers smoked underneath a broken lamp. She approached them.

"Excuse me..." The three turned around. Kirei gulped down her fears and pointed to the club.

"I was just wandering if you knew who owns this place..." the light haired in the middle replied.

"What? That place? It belongs to Bonta Nomura" The girl on the right puffed out and flicked the ashes off her cigarette.

"Why? Want to join us?"

"N-no...Just curious" The girl in the middle smiled.

"Aye? Of old Nomura?" The girl on the left – and most covered of them all – grinned.

"Heh, you'll enjoy him" Kirei looked at her strangely.

"Aye?" The girl stepped closer.

"You know...he's a ..." She stepped closer to Kirei, holding up her hand hiding her mouth.

"Big boy..." Kirei blushed and stuttered.

"I-I'm not interested in that!" The girls all giggled and chuckled. The one on the right finished her smoke and headed for the back door. The other two, winked, smiled and waved farewell and headed off themselves.

"Sure...well...see you" The light haired one closed the door behind her and left Kirei blush and ponder. She stared up at the top of the building 'I have to make sure this is the right place before making to make sure this is the right place before making any move on...him"

Kirei returned to the place in day time, she lay on a nearby building, holding up binoculars, covered by a black cloak. She watched the two loud mouths from before walk into the building.

"So it's defiantly the place..." She put down the binoculars and glared at the building in disgust and slight _**hatred**_. She shifted her position so that she could stand. She sighed and sat up.

"Better get dressed up for tonight then..."

The soft swab of eye shadow brushed against her eye lid, giving it a hue of purple, complementing her dark eyes. She smeared the lipstick across her lips changing it to a deep red. Kirei clasped the cap onto the lipstick and smacked her lips together. Her bag chucked onto a small table in the motel room she reviewed her outfit for the evening. Her frilled dress reached just above the knees while a small ribbon tied around the waist smoothed out the upper portion of the dress.

"Alright Bonta Nomura," She looked herself in the eyes through the mirror with confidence and determination.

"I'm coming for you" Her hair messily draped from her shoulders, tied loosely by her back, She nodded to herself then set off.

Kirei approached the place through one of the many back alleys; it was surrounded by very casual men, mostly drunks.

'This place is really popular at this time...' Her eyes darkened with more putrid nausea and she glared in the shadows of the buildings that walled her path 'What a disgusting place...' She waltzes by the by standards with a smile 'Just bat my eyes and look like I know what I'm doing...' She got lots of stares from the others as she opened and walked through the door.

Once inside she scrunched her nose 'Now to find this guy...' Kirei started to sweat, but the mini-heart attack she got surprised her even more when someone "PSSSSSST!" Her. Kirei turned away from the small wall that blocked the view of whoever came inside through that door to see further inside the room, through a sound barrier it was not; and found the woman from before –the one that _**was**_ the most dressed out of the three – she smiled at Kirei and offered her help.

"You're looking for Nomura right?" Kirei calmed down and nodded.

"Yeah..." She giggled.

"He sits in the corner and then goes into his lounge if he meets a new girl" She winked at the last part. Kirei awkwardly nodded.

"Uuuuuh...thanks..."

Kirei peered around the edge of the short wall, there was a large mound of wailing men failing everywhere, and past the mass of horniness was a slightly quieter but equal in sexual deviance corner table, embedded into the walls edge. From the distance that Kirei could see –which just happened to be the other side of the room- was a man in a white suit surrounded by some of the 'performers'. Kirei stepped around the wall and frowned deeply 'now to get past that hoard of horny guys...' Kirei silently tip toed across the wooden floor behind the frothing men 'careful now...' Kirei made it to the other side safely, sighing in relief 'Safe!'

Kirei stood in front of the table, the man sat in the middle of the seats directly in her line of sight; he had his arms around two women who were snuggling up to him. The man had slicked back grey hair, his rectangular glasses sat quaintly on his wrinkly old nose. He then announced to the table of women.

"Alright ladies! Off you go!" The ladies then wined and pouted, before shuffling off the plastic covered sponge seats and clopped their heels off to the curtained door adjacent to the 'stage'. One girl recognized Kirei looking incredibly awkward and disturbed. She smiled to herself then shuffled towards Nomura; she put up her hand and whispered into his ear.

"You know that girl over there? She's been asking about you" He grinned and replied.

"She _has_, has she?" The girl smiled then shuffled along the edges of the seat to the opening, where she winked at Kirei before getting up and walking away with a smile. Kirei flinched at the wink, noted that that was a signal that he already knows of her presence and is ... waiting for her.

She gulped down and twitched while staring at him, 'they weren't kidding about the 'old' part, why am I always stuck with old men? _Creepy_ old men?' Nomura stared back, through his glasses with a raised brow. Kirei slowly crept up to the table 'well...here goes nothing...'

"Hello, are you Bonta Nomura?" He relaxed and rested his arms on the table.

"Yes I am, welcome to my club..." Kirei inched towards the seat.

"Well I'm..." Kirei was off as the crowd began shouting.

"Wooh! Hot!" Kirei sweated and stuttered quietly against the shouts.

"I..."

"TAKE IT OFF! TAKE IT OFF!"

"SEXY!"

"COME BACK HOME WITH ME BABY!" She tried hard not to furrow her brows and beat the crap out of all of them. Nomura pointed towards the back.

"How about you join me in the back?" Kirei twitched as the screams and whistles continued. The old man climbed out of the plastic cushioned seat and led Kirei to a curtained off opening behind the stage. On the way there Kirei spotted an empty beer mug, she then picked it up and quickly tossed it across the room to the crowd, hitting someone in the face 'Shut up!' She angrily thought. The people surrounding falling man were like.

"What?"

"Huh?"

"OMG!"

"SHE has a good arm" Kirei glared at the scene in triumph, until it was interrupted by a.

"Miss~?" Kirei turned around with her facade on, feigning a nice girl in praying wish that he didn't see that.

"Aye? What were you doing?" Kirei secretly sighed at his obliviousness and blindness to the obvious commotion in front of her.

"Nothing, nothing" She nonchalantly replied. She fully turned around as the screams of the man who got hit in the face by the wrath of Kirei's anger bellowed behind her. Nomura amazingly ignored the cries and continued to invite conversation with Kirei.

"So...how about your name?"

"How about we save that for the back?"

"Fine, fair enough" He swiftly moved the curtain and led Kirei down a hallway.

"So...I hear your name a bit around here. Are you famous or something?"

"Hmm me? A part from owning this club, no, not really..."

"Really? No hobbies or anything?"

"Hmmm...no..."

"Really?" Kirei sweated a bit 'Crap! He's not giving me anything!'

"So miss, do you have any hobbies?"

"Hmm me? Well...I'm looking for someone"

"Oh? Who?"

"Someone...important to me..."

"What happened?"

"Oh, they uh...got in trouble with some people and they were taken away..."

"You don't say..." Nomura led Kirei to a door at the very end of the hall. He unlocked it and held the knob. He smiled at Kirei and said.

"Well...here we are..." He thrusted open the door and stepped inside.

"My luuuuuurve lair..." Kirei stared incredulously at the room. A small fridge sat in the corner next to a bar, in front of Kirei was a low couch with an ordinary coffee table in front of it; in other corner of the room was a soft looking bed with many heart shaped pillows. But more the cringe worthy attributes was that the colour scheme consisted on mainly red, and there was a mysterious jazzy music playing in the ceiling that Kirei couldn't figure quite where. The lighting in the room was so dim Kirei had to squint to see anything. She stared at the room with a surprised expression.

'...lurve lair?'

"Ladies first!" Kirei faced the _very_ cheery Nomura.

"...uh...right..." Kirei stuttered and then staggered across the room 'Holy crap this guy is creepy!' She slid her hand across the arm rest of the couch and sat in it, it was then that she noticed the walls decorated by very naked pictures of women in questionable poses. She sighed as she tried her best to keep composure 'Is that a bed over there? ... Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh!' Kirei was disrupted of her disturbed thoughts by Nomura joining her on the couch.

"So can I have your name now?" Wanting no more of this Kirei immediately went to business.

"Let's just cut to it, you're connected to the Akatsuki; I want to know if I could..." She shifted her hand and let the side of her sleeve slip down.

"Persuade you to tell?" Nomura remained silent. So then Kirei went and batted her eyes extremely fast.

"Pleeease~?" Nomura glared at her attempt and was wiped of all temptations, so much so that about 30 seconds later Kirei found herself fallen flat on the dirt, butt first outside the back door. While Kirei tended to her sore cheeks Nomura stood in the doorway over her.

"Nice try...But it's not going to be that easy kid...just a hint, you never 'just cut to it' hahahaha!" He then slammed the door shut, Kirei glared at the door for a while before sighing and admitting defeat. She turned and looked at her broken hand.

"Guess I'm not ...Used to this kind of thing yet..."

"..." She stared at her hand for a long time 'that's one less lead for Itachi...Itachi...'

Somewhere very far in a somewhat dark room flickered a candle.

Itachi slowly opened his eyes, he woke from his sleepiness and looked around, he was trapped in some sort of wooden container.

"What is this? A box?" Itachi stopped as a slight hand touched the outside of the curved wall in front of him, a voice spoke and Itachi could only barely recognize it.

"My, my Itachi...that girl of yours is such a cutey 3"

"Searching far and wide but never seems to find you" The voice broke into a hideous cackle then left the room continuing to laugh his head off. Itachi stared at the door in thought.

'Kirei!'

**ATTENTION!**

For those who are confused, I like to keep this story up to date with the manga, so if you watch the anime only, you would probably not understand the whole 'box' thing.

On another note, OMG! WOW! Thank you for reading! Even when I haven't posted in such a long time! (Which will probably be long each time from now on, but maybe not quite as long as this... I was lazy)

You're all so wonderful! TT^TT

6


	15. Chapter 15 Leads

Criminal Love Chapter 15 – leads

**Criminal Love**

Kirei stepped lightly through the trees, bag slung over her shoulder, hobo sack like bag hung by hand over her other shoulder, while she scanned the tree trunks for possible target posts.

"Hmph" She trudged along the grass.

"It's been two weeks and still no leads!" She cried, to sky reaching leaves.

"Well I'm defiantly not going back to Nomura _that's_ for sure!" She gripped the sack and cringed at the thought.

Still scanning she spoke aloud, confident the quiet forest held no-one else "Might as well train..."

She held her arm up and squished her arm "My muscles are feeling a little squishy" She kept pinching the soft tissue, until a rustling in front of her caught her attention. Curiously she dropped her bags and tip toed to the two bushes that nestled between two trees. 'Hmmm...' She thought as she knelt to the grass and pushed the sides of the bushes aside.

"Now what's going on?" She looked down the steep hill dotted with shrubbery and young saplings.

"Ah!" She whispered as she caught the sight of two people nestling behind some bushes themselves at the bottom. She watched boardly, but her boredom was replaced with surprise as she squinted at the similar hair cut and clothing of someone she once knew.

"Leah!" She whisper cried as she knelt closer to the teetering edges of the hill. Leah and her accomplice were benevolent as they continue to curiously squat in front of a dirt trail, obviously used by the locals many times. Leah –who had now gained some lip rings and eye-brow piercings turned to her friend –also ringed and pierced – and began to what look like explain something, but to Kirei's poor ears she could not hear.

"Alright listen, I'll jump out and surprise him. Then you go and finish him" She made the movements with her hands with enthusiasm as her hand slammed into the other, symbolising the final blow. Her friend smiled and nodded. Footsteps gently walked the path with little care, the sounds of shoes scraping up the stones and dust alerted Leah and friend.

"Here he comes!" she whispered as they ducted behind the thick leaves. She waited as the steps drew closer unconcerned from the breathing behind the shrubs.

"Now!" Leah gasped, she leaped out of the bushes and sprung into a 'tiger pouncing prey' position.

"RAAAAAAWR!" She cried, startling the man to the point he might lose his unitary movement all over his pants. Her comrade remained poised and ready, kitchen knife griped in both hands, she watched the man gasp and look up at the war crying Leah.

"Now" She jumped up and thrusted the blade into the stomach of the un-expecting traveller.

"Ack" He coughed, but it was brief, as she held the blade over her head, down it came, again and again and again, splattering the fluid all over the ground, leaves and tree trunks. The small kitchen knife was heavily pulled out him as he fell, still flushing blood into the air. He hit the ground with a good thud, his eyes glazed and vacant; his head tilted to the side and lay there unmoving. His shirt stained with his own blood seeping out onto the dirt. Leah's high heel boots skidded against the gravel and dust at the corpse's side, she stood up right with a grin.

"Heh!" She stood next to her friend and gave her a good pat on the shoulder blade.

"Good work Ashlee, our first kill!" Ashlee nodded grinning. The two stayed silent for moments staring at the now transformed scenery, the splatter, the stains, and the body. Leah took her hand off Ashlee's shoulder and cried in astonishment.

"HOLY CRAP! WE JUST KILLED SOMEONE!" Ashlee agreed making the same incredulous expression.

Kirei –who also had a similar expression- sat behind the bushes and slowly backed away, always keeping an eye on the two fleeing figures. 'They just killed someone? I have to leave this place quickly!'She thought fast and crept over to the sack, just as she was about to grab it laughter rang out through the trees. 'Someone's coming!' She thought. She gripped the bag and scanned around 'I have to find a place to hide' acting quickly she saw a small gap between some very large hedges with thick leaves, backed by a large rock. 'There!' She immediately began jogging to the hidey-hole. Just passing a tree, there she saw a group of happy men, crying out and laughing. 'Runfaster!Runfaster!Runfaster!RunFaster!RunFaster!' She sprinted to the gap, but some inconveniently placed up-rooted root, caught her entire foot, sending her crashing down to the dirt. She teared up and bit her bleeding lip 'Soooooo CLOSE!' her heart started beating loudly as the cheery laughter came closer. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest as she saw a figure stand in front of her concealing bush, she held her breath and watched as the back of a man stood casually talking to his mates. Her heart thumping loudly against the grass underlay which she gripped with her fingers. The figure moved away after what seems like eternity, she gave a good loud sigh of relief as soon as the figure was out of sight. Suddenly one of the men said aloud.

"Hey did you hear something?" The other man looked behind, while the third man approached the former bushes that Kirei was spying from and cried aloud.

"OMG! WHAT IS THAT? DID SOMEONE DIE?" This time her heart really did jump out of her chest.

Stomping down on the grass, brushing the leaves away as everything went by in a blur.

"WHY IS THIS HAPPENING!" Kirei cried as she skimmed over grass, roots, dirt and animals quickly, with a band of men all shouting and rioting with their pitch forks and torches. Something caught her eye and that was a strange figure behind some fuzzy bushes in close inspection it was undoubtedly a red cloud on a black cloak.

"Aye?" She pronounced as she continued running, whoosh, a spear flew past her ear and landed with a sharp thud.

"THIS ISN'T FAIIIIR!" She cried as the tears flew past the pitch forks, spears and rocks that were thrown towards her. Ahead she spotted a river 'RIVER!' She skidded along the bank coming close to the water, doing a sharp 90o angle 'I hope I'm right! I hope I'm right!' she thought as the cries of the men reverberated.

"GET BACK HERE MURDERER!"

"RAWWRR!" Her stomps were like footsteps compared to the thudding noise made from the men's boots. Suddenly her sole of her boot lifted into the air, and didn't feel the familiar ground that it stomped on for quite some time. The angry mob gasped and skidded to a halt. Kirei's hair flew up above her face as she stared down at the lake very far below her, 'this is a lot higher than I thought it be!' The roar of the waterfall bellowed behind her and below. The men nervously inched closer towards the edge and flailed around their arms in an act to not fall. The waterfall poured down into the lake with Kirei soaring above it, Kirei's dissent was slow at first but gradually sped up as she was sent crashing down to the water by the heavy force of gravity. Ker splash! The large splash of water gushed up flying into the air, spraying the cliff rock.

Kirei opened her eyes after the impact, the underwater view obscured by the many squiggly bubbles swirling upwards, in the corner she could see the cloud of bubbles of the waterfall crashing into the water.

The water's surface was disturbed by the small many bubbles that popped at the top. Kirei burst through the top and gasped for the air. She panted as she kept her head above the water's surface. She looked up at the top of the rock edge; she choked up a laugh and then broke into a hearty laugh at the men peering over the edge. She stuck her middle fingers up and weaved them in the air.

"Ha, Take that fuckers! HAHA!" The men stared bewildered and slightly insulted. Kirei turned and chuckled to herself as she began to swim away.

Kirei climbed up out of the water sorely and breathed heavily. She leaned on her knees and turned back.

"Heh, heh let's see them top that." She did a double take behind her, at the other side of the lake.

"Aye?" At side of the cliff, there was a rope with small dotted figures which were slowly climbing down the rope.

"You've got to be kidding me!" The figures at the bottom of the cliff holding the rope steady, glared at her with intense hate. She withdrew a little in her spot.

"They're making really scary faces, better run now then..." She shuffled across the sand and trudged against the grass, from across the vast water space the men gathered preparing themselves.

Kirei lightly jogged through the trees with a grin on her face, slyly thinking up her plot 'I'll jog to save my energy...and then...when they chase, I'll just sprint away' Kirei's thoughts dispersed as the loud footsteps of the men caught her attention. She turned around to glance at the scene. The men gathered in fury running towards her in the fastest notion they can as a group.

"Hm~" She turned back around amused, ignorant of the ongoing eruptions of hate that poured out of the men. Kirei quickly stomped her boot to the root of a tree, she bent over and put her game face on 'aka; TAMAKI; I KILL YOU face' she jumped off the root and sped up, weaving through the trees. The trees zoomed fast past her flailing hair that whipped the air.

"Hahahahahaha! With my awesome speed no one will catch me!" She cried confidently to the blurry foliage. Kirei kept running through the trees at her full speed when large fast thudding surprised her from behind. She peeked behind for a moment, but the sight made her heart leap to her brain. Not far behind was a small group of 3 men speeding closer to her with a cloud of dust flying miles high. 'Holy crap!' She looked closer at their determined expressions and the hatred in their eyes. Her heart beat wildly with the trees that flew past. 'It's O.K. Kirei! Just Think! Calm Down!' She took a few deep breaths and shut her eyes, her head fell quickly silent 'Just think, Tamaki, Tamaki, Tamaki, Tamaki...' the sounds of her heart and the outside flying by faded away as she thought 'Tamaki' Her mind was swept over with memories of Tamaki and they're short time together as a couple.

'Hello, want sex now?'

"Of course! What are you stupid?...Oh yeah...I forgot'

'I would buy you chocolate but then you would get fat'

'Go out? No, that uses money and women are not worthy using money on.'

'Look at those fat thighs!'

'Aye? What do you want from me? Didn't I already have sex with you?'

"You're a woman therefore your opinion is invalid"

Kirei's eye burst open and she flew upwards hands near her shoulders.

"**!"**Her hands gripped into fists and she cried out in the 'fires of hate' her body grew ridged with immense murderous intent. She bent over and flexed her muscles with power.

"GRRRRR!" She zoomed away from the approaching men so fast they didn't even see her. They approached the previous area surprised at her speed and the fact that the bushes were actually on fire and that the ground had been hotly scorched by the rage. She sped along at a good pace with her eyes closed. She opened them and immediately changed her speed as her eyes burned with the fires of hate. She grinned and sped along 'yeah! I'm on fire! Nobody will catch me now!' Her hair flew by in a straight line 'I'm on fire! I'm on fire! Hahahahaha! Firrre!' Kirei looked down 'Fi...re?' Kirei slowed down significantly spotting the small fire that burned on her pants. She skidded to a stop and lifted her leg and waved at it swatting it away. The sounds of thumping soles of the men came closer 'what now?' she turned back and watched as the men came speeding towards her throwing flaming balls or fire, setting the shrubbery alight. Kirei's heart leaped 'they're throwing fire at me?' Kirei snuffed the fire out to a smoulder she put her leg down and began to speed away again as the fire rained down behind her.

In a flash and flurry of unsettled leaves that jolted into the air then floated back down again, she was gone.

"Not again!" Cried one of the men as they dashed towards the spot, the others gasped and held the flaming balls of fire in the air held back for a throw.

"Forget the fire! Run!" They immediately let the fire drop then sprinted forwards through the trees that continuously began to get taller and taller the deeper in the forest they ran, they stomped on the ground heavily before leaping into the air busting out of a row of trees that lined a road.

They cried out in bloodlust as they flung themselves forward in the air, surprising a small family group who were casually walking down the path. They also got the attention of a peddler, a young man, and two men riding on a cart driven by a pair of horses but not the figure hooded next to the cart. They landed and halted their momentum that propelled them and stared in astonishment at the mother, father and child staring at them in bewilderment.

"This isn't her!" One called out, as they all stared, the three shook off the confusion and stood upright then hooded their eyes with their hands and looked in all directions for a clue to Kirei's position through the dappled people that gently waddled down the path through the old forest.

"Where did she go?" They said in frustration. One pointed and proclaimed.

"We'll go this way!" The three then charged in the direction that passed the cart, throwing dust up behind them, surprising the cart riders as they passed. They watched as the three disappeared into the distance, and then found themselves looking behind them again as the mob of men from before charged after the dust cloud, carrying their pitch forks and torches creating a dust cloud themselves. As the stomps of the mob died down, the figure hobbling near the cart -with their own broken authentic branch used as a cane- lifted their head up revealing her face, Kirei smirked at the dust cloud that faded in the distance and the cries which the men shouted out quietened. 'Ha! Take that, stupid men.' She struggled on her left leg as it was still freshly burned and smoked with the burnt cloth irritating it further. Kirei looked forward with determination 'Now, on to Itachi!'

_OHOHO what's this a filler chapter, I think it was~_

_Don't worry next one will defiantly move the story along..._

_*I'm sorry my readers, Fan Fiction dislikes my use of different fonts _


	16. Chapter 16 Strength

Chapter 16 - Strength

**Criminal love**

Kirei marched through the dirt path through the trees with her authentic branch cane. The trees began to disperse as an old town gate grew larger and larger the closer she got.

"Hmm..." She looked inside the gates into the town; bustling with people and such.

"Some town..." She threw the branch in to the trees, then waltz into the town. Kirei glanced around the buildings 'maybe I'll get something to eat' She past some more buildings and vendors 'dumplings?' Kirei comfortable with her surroundings flicks off her hood, and wanders around some more 'Over there?'Something catches her eye and brings her full attention 'Is that?' The back of a head with spiky black hair weaves through the crowd, further and further away. An image of a young cute boy with spiky hair and black clothes appeared in her head as the person walked away 'Sa...Sasuke?' Kirei watched the young man move further away 'Maybe he knows where Itachi is...' She swiftly followed him, but then kept her distance due to the off chance that it could be someone else, he eventually ventured outside the town into the gradually thickening trees. Kirei glanced at the taller trees 'hmm...should I hide behind a tree?' She glanced back at the spiky haired man, then keeping an eye on him as he moved away; she shuffled behind a nearby tree. The man stopped, and Kirei peered behind the tree at the man 'has he seen me?'

"Stop following me" He spoke, without turning around. Kirei shyly looked past the trunk.

"Uh, I was hoping you could help me find someone"

"No." Kirei walked around the trunk.

"B-but you could really help me..." Sasuke continued to stay facing the forest.

"Not interested go away."

"B-but I know you!" He remained silent for a while before moving swiftly.

"Eh..." Kirei stared blankly with an oblivious smile; Sasuke stepped lightly with skill holding out his katana far behind Kirei as the blade's slash cut through Kirei's cloak, shirt, skin and flesh. The wind brushed past with the his speed, blowing her hair along with her blood, suspending them partially in the air, before falling as the sudden realisation hit her as hard as the pain; washes of cold overcame her as the gaping open slash grew hot, her smile turned into a frown, she gasped, her heart thumped hard in her chest as she went into a cold sweat. The pain quickly flushed through her body starting from the wound to the tips of her fingers and again.

"Don't follow me." He turned with a cold expression. She began gasping and grabbed at the blood soaked clothes with one hand.

"AAAAAAAAAH!" She collapsed on the ground, breathing hard against the dirt; Sasuke passed by and gave a cold glare.

"Ooooooh..." Kirei sleepily awoke in a clean bed. Surrounded by some curtains, in a white room.

"Ugh..." Kirei groggily opened her eyes to Tamaki, grinning.

"Kirei! My love you've returned home! So how about s-"Kirei threw a quick fist to his face.

"GAH!" Tamaki collapsed to the floor clutching to his face.

"Waaaaaaah!" Kirei sat up, in the bed.

"Where am I?" She said tired

"My face! My beautiful face!" Kirei glanced down besides her bed.

"Hm?" She peered over the edge to the tossing Tamaki.

"Oh, it's Tamaki"

"AAAARG" Kirei looked out the small window on the plain white wall with surprise. She stared out of it more intensity in slight disbelief.

"I'm home! I'm right back to square one!" Her cry echoed through the air from the small hospital window.

"What! When did this happen?" Kirei looked down to her tightly bandaged bare chest; she felt the line of where the wound would be.

"Wha...?" She dropped her hand as she remembered.

"Ugh...Sasuke" Sasuke's last cold glare manifested in Kirei's mind's eye 'that look...sure was cold...so he's changed too...' Kirei stopped thinking as she heard the quiet sobs beside her bed, she glanced down to Tamaki, covering his face sniffing and sobbing. Kirei smirked cockily and bent down leaning over the edge of the bed.

"Are you crying?" Tamaki flinched.

"NO!" he cried, throwing his hands away from his face; his very unbeautiful face, bruised around the nose area and blood trailing off from his nostrils with clear tears running down his cheeks. She got up with an unimpressed expression.

"Yeah right" She sat comfortably on her side.

"Why are you here anyway?" He stood immediately, with his hand on his chest.

"I heard that my beloved was here..." Kirei interrupted him abruptly.

"Stop calling me beloved. I dumped you." He paused awkwardly.

"Ah..." He resumed with a smile again, shaking off her cold words.

"A-and I wanted to know if she would have me back? 3" Kirei immediately answered.

"NO." Tamaki went into a spastic frenzy, screaming.

"But why not!"

"Because you're an asshole" Tamaki tightened his fists in front of his face.

"B-but!" Kirei faced away and held up her flat palm to his face.

"You're annoying me, please leave." Tamaki stood tall.

"I WILL HAVE YOU KIREI!" He went around the curtain that surrounded Kirei's bed, and poked out.

"Count on it!" Kirei watched as he sped away, thinking 'probably went to cry some more...'

The sun shone on the new day as Kirei finished zipping up her old damaged top. She stared at her image in the long mirror and at the large gash through the top with horrible zigzag stitching repair.

"Hmm..." She frowned at the work 'maybe I should get another top...' There was a loud knock at the door.

"I'm coming!" She cried.

Kirei opened her front door in her now cleaner apartment; to the familiar dark haired man, with his cool tinted sunglasses, Utsugi, Tamaki's policemen comrade.

"Utsugi?" He stood rigid in the doorway with a bead of sweat drip down his cheek.

"Uh...I just wanted to see if you were O.K"

"I'm fine now" He put on a fake smile.

"I just heard you were back from the hospital" He continued to flakily smile at her 'I guess typical Tamaki didn't tell her, that I found her...'  
"You aren't leaving are you?" Kirei glanced back at the dining table with her new bag sitting on top.

"Yeah, I am why?" Utsugi blocked the door.

"You're not going after him are you!"

"Yeah..."

"Kirei be reasonable, why do you even care?" Throwing his hands in front of her.

"Hmm...why" Kirei held her chin in thought, watching the floor.

"Why..." She looked to the ceiling as the image of Itachi smiling at her, her heart thumped lightly as the blush grew on her cheeks.

"Hmmm..." she puffed her cheeks as they grew hot. She tried to shake off the feelings by shouting.

"Just wanna!" Utsugi watched her strangely then retaliated back by shouting.

"The guy is a criminal Kirei! He could kill you!" This made Kirei angry and held strong against him, in an offensive manner, making Utsugi back off a bit.

"He could, but he obviously didn't! He was very nice to ME Utsugi!" Utsugi shook off the argument, by flicking his head to his shoulder.

"Tsk" he made the sound in frustration. Kirei grabbed the edge of her front door and yelled.

"Now I bid you farewell, I'll be leaving soon. Good bye Utsugi." She then promptly slammed the door, exhausting the fury. She breathed out a sigh, and then trotted back to the table to finished packing the last of her fresh food into the bag.

"Why am I doing this...?" Kirei re-imagined Itachi smiling back at her '...love' she thought as the blush came back with a vengeance.

"NO!" She cried shoving the food into her bag.

"I just wanna!" She stuffed the items further into the bag, and then pulled up the zips towards the middle.

"And that's that!"

Kirei passed the small rural area outside of her home town; it was noisy with the farmers and birds as they awoke in the early hours of morning. Kirei passed the rice paddy fields of the surrounding area, griping the one strap of her bag. The clouds were large and fluffy following her down the gravel road. She paused as she approached two trees, opposite each other on the road, leaning on one was Utsugi.

"Kirei, this is where I'm going to have to stop you"

"I'm leaving Utsugi!" Utsugi leapt off the tree and cried.

"I can't allow it!" He sprinted towards her.

"I'll take you back!"  
"Even if I have to break..." Utsugi paused as he caught the glimpse of Kirei; flying towards him backwards, doing a one hand hand stand and swinging her leg around over his head. He gasped before the heel of her black boot swung and hit his left cheek, cracking his glasses and sending him back to the trees, scraping against the dirt and dust.

Utsugi wobbly kneeled and coughed spit into his hand, he turned around in his spot as Kirei approached closer.

"When did you...?" Kirei tightened her fist.

"You think I'm weak, but I'm clearly not." She stomped past him and carried on, turning briefly.

"I'm. Leaving." Utsugi gripped the ground in his fists.

"Tsk"

Oh, Shakespearian words are amusing

"Goats and Monkeys!"


	17. Chapter 17 Proof

Criminal Love -Proof

Dear my beloved readers,

Sorry for the long-time-no-update, I was too busy trying to finish last exams for my High school life last year, for drawing or planning.  
Forgive me for a more or less plot-less chapter, and if it is the case, not so great English. It seems I have been too busy to practice writing, or reading in that fact.

This particular chapter was difficult write, more due to my attempts to keep to the ongoing story line of the main manga plot of Naruto. Which involves one character's participation; it seems that every time Itachi is re-introduced into the plot, I have to completely rewire all my plans for _Criminal Love_.  
However, in my feeble will to keep Criminal Love going I have created this chapter with insightful backup plans for when the Naruto plot causes disruption in mine, during my slow progress it seems that I didn't count page numbers in creation and planning. Causing a chapter which is twice the length of my normal chapters! (40 pages vs. Chpt. 16's 21 pages)

(Unfortunately since my book pages are limited, this means that the next chapter will only be about 10 pages, which would also mean that there's more chance of an update!)

Enjoy!

**Criminal Love **

"O.K, Here's your room key" Spoke the counter clerk serving Kirei, placing the single key on a tag onto the wooden counter.

"Thanks..." She said sliding the small key on a yellow key tag towards her, with an unenthusiastic smile. The grinning clerk pointed, past his stationed reception desk to the stairs to his left leading half a level upwards to a door lined hallway.

"Just take the stairs to the right, and go up a level" Kirei glanced at the stairs before replying;

"O.K" She brushed past the plain brown desk and past the boring beige walls up to the second floor of the inn, to a white wooden door platted "14" on a dirty bronze slab, to the right of the door. Kirei clicked the lock open with the key. Upon opening the door the dark room was bled light by the hallway, Kirei's figure shadowing the ground. She reached to the right, searching the wall with her palm for the light switch. With a flick the lights flashed on and revealed the double sized bed with standing comfy chair next to it. She closed the door behind her and properly entered the room. Noting the other meaningless decor and floor touching curtains, Kirei chucked her one shoulder bag onto the comfy bed. Kirei following, her bag collapsed backwards onto the fluffy bed, arms stretched out for the bed to catch her, which it obviously did spouting air from underneath.

She sighed agitatedly.

"Nothing..." She said loudly.  
"Nothing!"  
"Nothing!"  
"Nothing!"  
"NOTHING!" She yelled.

Eyes closed she cried to the ceiling "I've found nothing!"  
Now rolling on the concaved mattress and flailing her arms up and down 'poofing' the duvet, while kicking "NOTHIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!"

Two strong knocks at the door got Kirei – a grown woman- to stop throwing her tantrum.  
"Um...Miss, Are you alright?" Kirei gazed at the door as a passing employee spoke through the door. She immediately sat up.

"Fine!" She called back in flush.  
"Oh...O.K" Came the awkward reply, Kirei was silent and watched the door, mouth a gape, as the footsteps died away. Her face went pale while simultaneously peaking her cheeks with red tints. Kirei spun around and flopped onto the cushy duvet. She gripped the covers with a fist, grumbling into the bed. She flailed her arms in agitation on the bed again.

"So embarrassing!"

The following day, Kirei stood leaning over a row of clothes in a store littered with women.

"Hmm..." She pondered, looking over the various outfits currently on sale –one size only-  
She raked the coat hangers back against each other, eyeing each piece.

"What to get? What to get?"Her eyes lock onto something; smiling, she picked it up and carried it with her to the changing room.  
"Let's try this 3"

Kirei hummed happily a few minutes later exiting the little store, swinging the store's complementary bag with her purchase clutched inside. On her happy trip out she passes a dirty small back alley with two smokers carrying out some rubbish, eyed her as she passed. Kirei oblivious to them peered into the bag with a grin.

"Now to just go back to my room and change"

"Hey cutie~" The smoker who she just passed came up behind her with his light haired skinny buddy. Astonishing her, he casually smiles at Kirei in a friendly I'm-hitting-on-you manner.

"That looks pretty heavy" Says the buddy. The dark haired smoker stepped closer to Kirei one hand gestured outwards and the other stuck into his hoodie's large single pocket.  
"I can carry that for you" He says, Kirei spins fully around and steps back a bit and throws a hand up in a defensive/polite manner.

"Um, no, I'm fine" she shakes her head a bit and holds the bag close to her, 'My wallet's in here' she reminds herself.

Suddenly the dark haired one with the cigarette and hoodie makes a grab for the bag's handle. Surprising, and not surprising Kirei; He leans back pulling the bag and Kirei's hanging on hand with him. The other man takes the new initiative to make a grab for the gap between Kirei's hand and his friends hand, tearing the bag out of both of their hands; Kirei is flabbergasted as he takes off for the space in between the two buildings they're standing to the left of, while the short dark haired man jogs backwards then spinning around to sprint down the street, in the confusion the skinny one with the bag makes it to the tree lined area behind the stores and buildings of the small town.

"Damn it" Kirei hissed; she starts her chase 'left!' she doesn't get tricked too easily, as Kirei speeds around the concrete corner, her vision is ambushed by a bunch of trees and foliage. She scans the tree's and the gaps between them 'gone?' her head flicks left and right looking for some kind of clue to the thief's direction. 'Just keep moving' she motivates herself with a determined frowning expression.

While in a partially silent fenced alley, behind some rubbish cans, cackled the two thieves.  
"Scammed another!" cried the rough dark haired one. The skinny thief with the long light blue hair with slant eyes opened their goods.  
"Let's see what's in here..." He peered inside the bag where Kirei's purchase lay neatly folded along with her small brown wallet tucked into the corner.  
"Ooooh! We have a wallet!" He shouted as the other went into a fit of laughter. As they revelled in their find, the loud tang of a hard palm slaps the metal bar of the mesh metal fence behind them; Kirei in a demonic fury flew her body over the metal mesh fence.  
"FOUND YOUUUU!" Kirei's raspy throat and sparkled fierce eyes surprised and scared the two. Kirei landed on the concrete in a loud thump, arms in, knees bent fashion. The alley thieves slid backwards.  
'What's with her?' They simultaneously thought as their adrenaline drummed to life from the death threat impending. Quickly making a grab for the bag the two spun on the jump up.  
"Run!" The dark haired thief cried as he leapt towards the street, Kirei's fires of hate sparked as the two began their sprint again.  
'RIGHT!' Kirei's mind cried as she wore the expression of someone who's dived deep in the sea of hate. The two separated ways, as the dark haired dead man carrying the bag flicked back at the corner he just passed, as he hears a loud deep roaring sound. 'What was that?' he questions. In an instant, Kirei's appearance skidded into his view, her body followed by intense heat and vibrant yellows and oranges. The man paused for a second, shocked. He returned to running as his partner in crime running in the opposite direction checked back 'Who in the world did we steal from?' they thought, 'Good luck' the man escaping the reaper of a demon; Kirei, thought, sending his prayers to his only friend.

"RUN!" Cried the other man in a panic, followed by Kirei in hot pursuit; still charging through the streets after him in a robotic arm swinging motion literally slicing the air with each swing, roaring fire a blaze just behind her. He regretted the moment he glanced back. Pure terror ran through his body in shivers, but that was just the taste of it. He cried out in a long shout as he continued running.

"!" Still braving the glance back his heart thumped as the terror filled his chest, while his mind only thought the same thing repetitively; RUN.

"WHY IS SHE GETTING CLOSER!" He shouts through his tears as Kirei creeps only half a metre from his back, fire blazing in her eyes. 'Chance!' She spots a moment to reach for the bag in his hand and goes for it, but he makes a sharp right into another alley. Kirei scrapes her boot's soles against the rough concrete to make the turn. The thief speeding up towards the fence, Kirei now shifted her weight onto the leg and started her kick off in the new direction. The thief leaped into the air, scissor kicking over the bar to the other side with a light laugh in triumph and confidence. Kirei spots the fence and him on the other side; she also speeds up and jumps. Soaring upward with a loud war cry, the thief, upon hearing the cry, he turns his head 45o behind and upward to the flying woman, soaring high over the fence 'This person?' he watched in shock as she dropped to her knee on the hard ground.  
"Waaah!" He cried as he pounded his feet against the alley floor as Kirei's eyes lit once again as he took off into a random direction.

The thief then began to run in random maze like directions trying to shake Kirei off his tail by managing to pass through various obstacles, such as more wire mesh fences, speed, more corners and sliding underneath traffic of moving carts. He paused for a moment panting in sweat in an empty street.  
"Let's see you beat that." He said while looking back, but where every obstacle he struggled to pass himself, was easily passed through with ridiculous means, as instead of jumping over the fences, just busts through them with full force and leaping high above the carts' traffic. 'What is she!' he imagined himself in a spinning distorted way. She catches up to him as his grip on the precious bag slipped a bit he cries;

"Ba-ba-back" Spinning around with dramatic tears as Kirei lumbers menacingly towards him.

"Back to the baaaaaaase!" The thief charged his way through the town and towards some dangerous back streets and forth to a tall building with the leading entrance lined by two towering walls roofed by flat ground and railings, which through the bars of the railings dangled the legs of several men, the entrance way of the walled corridor was guarded by two large gate doors, which for now remained open for the stray members who enter and exit as they wish.

"Waaaaah!" Cried the lone thief as he sprinted through the overwhelming entrance way towards the small door sitting underneath the high balcony which overlooks the entire entrance way plus the platform which sat the men dangling their legs through the bars lazily.

"HELP ME!" The thief shouted as the grumbles of the _fires of hate_ echoed through the corridor, licking the large wooden gate doors. After hop skip and a jump, the thief reached the lone door and threw his body at it, then began to pound the heavy wooden door with his fist; bag in hand.

"OPEN THE DOOR! QUICK! OPEN!" he screamed at the door, sweating and crying as his chest pounded the familiar terror to his limbs. Behind him rumbled the now massive imaginary fires that are _the fires of hate_ lit by passion and will power with a hint of stubbornness. In its shadows slowly trotted the figure of a woman, hair swaying in the currents swirling around the fire. The thief caught whiff of this strong illusionary threat and trembled against the locked unmovable door.

"What are you crying about?" Spoke a voice from the balcony above him.

"Boss..." The man cried tears of manly love only a man could feel for his superior without being gay or a creep.

"You're totally useless." Spoke the voice in a strong dark tone. In that instant broke the very manly heart of the thief.

"Ah!" His throat coughed as the last words echoed in his head 'uuuuselessssss'

The leader of the group which seems to be some kind of gang mob wore a loose hoodie and comfy track pants. He had droopy mop of blonde hair, squinty eyes and most noticeably the scar that crosses from the top left corner of his muzzle over his lips to just before the end of his chin. His short eyebrows closed in and narrowed, causing a glare at the men surrounding the roof area.

"Since she's already here...finish her." Kirei paused at the sight of the leader and the fires died down, she peered down to eye level when the only door inside click and creaked open. Another man came to greet the thief with an un-amused expression, he wanted to see the thief cry some more.

"Thank yoooooouuuuuuu~" heartily spoke the thief in tears.

"Yeah, yeah" the other man said bored. 'My bag!' silently thought Kirei as she watched the man clamber inside and the door shut behind him.

"Hurry up and finish her." The boss re-enforced.

Another small door clicked open from above and the thief peered outside; onto the left side of the roofing platform. The thief's friend who escaped before sat leaning against the slanting wooden roof. He noticed the thief come out and the thief noticed him back. The thief immediately leapt into the air towards his friend in tears.

"Buddy! (I was so scared)" his leap caused an influx of girly hearts and sparkles to litter the air around him.

"You're still alive?" asked his so-called-friend, this instant also broke the thief's manly heart, no take that back, the hundreds of girly hearts and sparkles that followed him shattered in that moment. He shook the heartbreak off his shoulders and grabbed his friend's shoulders making him face him and his tears.

"I thought I was going to die!" he shouted in his face.

"Why didn't you just **drop** her bag?" He said pointing at the item in question in his 'friends' hands. He stared at it in disbelief, the two then realized that something was happening around them. The men on the roofing area started to gather weapons; bows and arrows, knives and crumbled bits of rock off the building. All eyes on Kirei, and she stared back wondering. At once they all fired, launching their arrows, throwing their knives and rocks. They hurdled towards Kirei at might, their height was an advantage point, and she covered her head with her hands 'Shit' she thought as the arrows and spears pierced her back while the knives cut her arms and legs, luckily for her their aim was pretty terrible.

"!" she screamed, as more arrows pierced her back, the attacks continued to pummelled her till she was forced onto the ground into the foetal position 'it hurts' she cried, tears seeping through her eyelashes. The attacks slowed and all was silent as she lay sobbing on the ground, bleeding, flushed, hurt, bruised and broken. 'I just want my bag...' her tears poured down her cheeks onto the hard concrete floor. 'I just want my bag.' Her tears stopped and she breathed deep. 'I just want my bag!' her crushed feelings and aching limbs fuelled the deep might that is Kirei's will. She shot up.

"WANT MY BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAG!" her war cry echoed as her mighty arise blew away some laying rocks and other weapons. Her 'demon mode' now on, she flicked to her left, spotting the two from before; Thief no.1 – one with her bag, and thief no. 2 – one sitting next to thief no.1.

"BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAG!" She cried, leaping to the edge of the railing, shocking everyone. Including the closest archer 'WTF' he thought as she reached over the railing.

"Bitch! Stop her!" Ordered the boss. The two lay frozen as stone gripping each other in an eternal hug till death. 'How did she even get up here?' Thought the lone archer on the side of the roofing, Kirei hissed and flailed a long forked tongue as she slipped over the railing, the archer released his arrow; Piercing into Kirei's side. Kirei paused for a split second 'It's O.K, I have lot's more arrows in my back, one more doesn't matter...' she winced at the pain and ache. After her pause she stomped her foot down on the flooring tile and roared, clawing at the two; who were trembling while still holding each other.

"Move you bastards!" Cried the archer as he dropped kicked the two, right before Kirei reached them, causing them to roll together to the door leading back inside. The archer sighed in relief with a slight chuckle 'Saved' he thought satisfyingly, before being promptly punched in the face. He stood swaying and dazed.

"Damn." She grumbled as she gave him another right hook.

"It." Left hook

"You!" Uppercut, the man's beaten soul started slithering out of his mouth as Kirei prepared for the final, swing around face-kick K.O, sending the man to the edge railing on the opposite side of the building.

"Now where did they go!" Kirei huffed after she recovered from the kick. Colour draining from her face she looked to the door. The two appear to be arguing and thrusting the bag between them.

"You take it!" Cried the manliness of the thieves whose manly heart had been crushed multiple times in the last couple minutes; shoving the bag to the man with smooth shoulder length fair hair.

"No way! You take it!" Cried the skinny ditcher, pushing the bag back.

"I don't want to die!" Shouted the dark haired one, pushing the bag back with force.

"You had it the most!" retaliated the skinny one. Kirei lumbered forward to the two idiots, near all colour gone from her, she glared at them in pain and annoyance. The two noticed the ominous body approaching and turned, to their grief it was the very person they feared. Kirei smirked and placed a hand on her hip, using the other to motion a 'come here'. 'Should we?' they both pondered in fear, as they sat frozen...again.

"Usui! Takata! Don't you dare!" ordered the boss upon witnessing Kirei's gesture and their lack of response. 'What do we do?' the fair one; Takata asked himself while carefully watching Kirei. 'I don't want to die!' The other –more experienced with Kirei- Usui, thought. Quickly Usui thrusts the bag hard to Takata; pushing backwards onto the roofing, backing off then rushing to the door. Entering it, and then giving Takata a quick cheeky wave.

"Bye 3" He says with a hearty grin.

"Wait!" Takata cries, but the cry falls on ignorant ears as the small door slammed shut as quickly as it was opened. Takata stares at the bag in his hands in silence before realizing the owner was watching him with amused eyes, 'Interesting...' she thought with a chuckle. Takata realizing that he was _completely_ alone; rushes to the door and bangs his fist against it.

"Usui! Open the door, Usui!" He tries jiggling the golden knob to no avail. 'Locked!' he curses as he continues pounding the door and shaking the handle.

"Open the door!" Usui on the other side of the door gripped the handle tightly 'NEVER!' He thought in determination. While on the outside of the door panicked Takata, heavily hyperventilating against the door 'I'm dead. I'm so dead. Dead, dead, dead.' His heart thundered with his breath.

"Stop blubbering, Takata." Spoke the leader leaning on the balcony's edge watching his useless henchmen. Kirei watched the idiot claw at the door like a scared animal 'Guess now's good' she thought as a shadow crept behind her.

Quickly Kirei was wrung by the neck another man; he held a knife one hand, as his other arm choked Kirei from behind. He aimed the knife high, pointing at her jugular. She spotted the weapon and gasped, her beating heart increased pace as the knife came down at her neck.

Kirei swiftly stomped down on the man's boot hard. He wailed in pain, halting the knife. Kirei slipped out of the man's grasp and gasped for a breath. She then reached behind to grab the guy by this jacket, then by yelling out loudly; hauled him over her shoulder, flipping him over and slamming him on the concrete. He groaned in pain as Kirei slowly climbed onto the railing and stood up straight, arms up high. The groaning man in pain watched in question. She leaped off the railing and positioned sideways in midair, elbow pointing downwards at the guy's torso. She slammed down on him, another random. Kirei slowly sat up then death glared the door, where Takata stood rearranging himself in awkward positions in hopes that it will open the door magically.

"C-come on Usui, open" Takata whined.

"Never!" Cried Usui through the door.

"Damn it!" Takata cursed loudly. Shivers ran through his entire body when a foreign cold finger tapped on his shoulder, regrettably he slowly turned his head; facing a mad Kirei leering down at him. Takata slid downwards on the door in fear, trembling, his heart thumped away.

"Here..." He squeaked fearfully handing over the bag to Kirei, still glaring at him. Kirei sneered in satisfaction reaching out a hand from her previous crossed arm pose to take the bag.

"Takata you imbecile!" Shouted the leader in anger, he leaned over watching in fury as his underling dared to show such weakness in front of him.

"Don't just give it away! Fight back, you useless piece of shit!" he cried as Kirei took the bag from the further sinking Takata, it was pretty much over for him. Die by Kirei or die by his leader, and he chose his leader. Kirei turned back at the leader.

"See yah 3" she spoke cheekily. Takata watched as she jogged to the edge of the building and jumped over the edge, falling then landing on the hard ground on her knees and fists.

Takata's heart thumped as he sat leaning against the door, sweating bathtubs as he listened to the conversation right next to him.

"Tsk, Nakaue, go get Usui. Organise Takata's punishment as well." The boss spoke to the man who opened the door for Usui in the beginning.

"Yes sir." He said in brutal obedience. Takata sank further on the door.

Kirei skipped merrily through the dirty back alleys of the town, bag in hand.

"Hee hee, got my bag back~ Got my bag back~" She sang randomly,

"I got – ug..." She flinched and froze in midair, sweating and the rest of the colour in her face died away. She fell, collapsing to the ground.

Later in the day, Nakaue stalks the empty halls of the head quarters of his gang, knocking on a traditional sliding door.

"Excuse me, boss." He said, opening the door slightly. He sat in the middle of a tatami mat floored room, calligraphy brush, ink and paper on a small desk in front of him. Pedestal and candles in front of that, lighting the entire room by itself.

"Come in, Nakaue." He spoke calmly as he swiped the inked brush on the paper.

"I have the info on the girl." Nakaue said, now standing a few feet from the leader.

"Good" Leader said without looking.

"Her name is Kirei; she used to live in a small town in the south. Until several months ago, where she ran away with some criminal. There are some minor things such as her apple stand at the marker. But other than that, there's really nothing else." He read from the files in his hand.

"Thank you Nakaue" Leader placed the brush on the ink container.

"You'll pay for humiliating me and my men Kirei..." The boss glared at the candles with ferocity.

"...one day definitely"

At that moment, Kirei laid in a pool of blood in a lifeless alley, alone, cold and bleeding.

To be continued... (Don't worry I'm not going to kill her off in such a lame way, or am I? Ha-ha)

Quick! Boss man/ leader guy needs a name! He doesn't have one! D:  
(Someone suggest some please 3)

9


	18. Chapter 18 Friends

Chapter 18 – Friend

**Criminal Love**

Morning rose and sunlight filled the room past the curtain drawn windows. Kirei's hand twitched as the bright light hit the side of her face and her closed eyes, infiltrating her lids and waking her from her sleep.

"Ng" Kirei groaned looked over to the window and squinted at the sun rising over the roofs of the town. Kirei lifted her bandaged hand and took a look at it 'Where am I?' she put down her arm and started at the walls 'So white' The small plain room had little in it, 2 windows, a picture, closet and the bed Kirei lay in. Kirei checked underneath the covers and jumped up.

"Eh? Eh? Where are my clothes?" Kirei's panic ended as the sole door at the right of the foot of the bed clicked open and began to swing towards her, obscuring view of who was entering.

"Hm?" Said the blonde girl with long eye lashes as she passed the door and closed it behind her. Her hair was shoulder blade long and wore a large headband with a big bow tucked above her ear.

"Ah! Good you're awake" She said to Kirei. Kirei stared at the woman while she walked around the foot of the bed with a white box procuring a red cross on the top.

"Eh?" Kirei said 'Hananoko?' She thought.

The woman put the box onto the bed "You're lucky to be alive" She said opening the medical first aid box.

"I found you collapsed in an alley way known for gangs, but you probably knew that, since you were covered in wounds" She looked back at Kirei in confusion because Kirei sat with a big creepy smile sparkling. 'It's really her, my friend~' Thought Kirei with the image of her young friend from her younger days – Hananoko, the girl who lived in the town where she had to visit for her parents veggie shop imports, the day that Kirei fell off the cliff.

"Hey! Are you even listening?" Hana yelled, snapping Kirei of reminiscing daydream.

"Ah, um, are you...Hananoko?" Hana backed up a bit.

"Aye? How do you know my name?" Kirei sparkled one again.

"It's me! Kirei!" She said increasing sparkles while pointing to herself. Hana stuck her finger to her chin in thought.

"Kirei...Kirei, I don't really remember a Kirei..." Kirei's sparkles died away as Kirei's smile.

"I've been completely forgotten." In a rather robotic monotonous way Kirei replied.

"When we were 7 I would visit you from Konoha, you know the little veggie shop?" Hana clicked in remembrance and started flailing in panicked.

"Ah! W-wait! Didn't you _DIE_!"

"I fell off that cliff, but I survived" Hana exclaimed in shock.

"So you were alive all this time? Why didn't you come back?" She cried in anger.

"I did have amnesia for 14 years" Kirei retorted. Hana was taken aback. An awkward silence cursed the room. Hana turned her back to her.

"Ah! You're going to have to give me a minute" Kirei watched her fidget while facing the wall 'Guess it was a bit much...' Hana sighed.

"I can take those stitches out" She said, Kirei looked up at Kirei then down to her left shoulder where the long scar of Sasuke's sword left, with old stitches still in place.

"Ah, yeah sure"

Hana sat on a stool removing the string that was holding the old wound together.

"To get hurt like this...what were you doing?" Hana said concerned.

"Oh, they stole my bag, so I got it back." Kirei said with the most serious face, staring directly into Hana's eyes.

"Are you an idiot?" Hana said with an equally serious face.

"Well I couldn't just let them have it."

"Then why didn't you back down after you got hurt?"

"I didn't realise I was that bad."

"You really _have_ become an idiot!" Hana stood up in anger.

"I FOUND YOU DYING IN AN ALLEYWAY!"

"Oh yeah, I was..." Kirei vaguely remembered the cold concrete floor and tall walls of the buildings besides her dying body.

"Thanks for helping~" Kirei said with more sparkles and happiness.

"You..." Hana trembled before grabbing Kirei by her shoulders.

"You were TOTALLY NOT LISTENING!" Hana shook Kirei till she was dizzy.

"DIDN'T YOU THINK BEFORE CHARGING INTO THTAT AREA!"

"I just followed the guy there..." Kirei said watching the room and everything in it spin.

"DO YOU HAVE A BRAIN?" Hana cried in irritation.

"Maybe I don't have a brain, but I have my pride!" Sparks flew between the two.

"PRIDE?" Hana was beyond irritated.

"So it doesn't matter if you or the people around you DIE!"

"Well that doesn't really matter because I don't really have much people around me anyway!" The flames to their annoyance ignited.

"What the shit? Are you some kind of weird loner now?"

"No way! Everyone around me were jerks so I left! And the last person I had left was kidnapped!" The two grit their teeth and scrapped their molars together in a glare-off.

"Kidnapped? That's a super lame excuse!"

"It's true; I've been searching for him since." The fires of their hearts roared.

"IF HE'S THAT IMPORTANT WHY HAVEN'T YOU FOUND HIM YET?"

"'CAUSE THE KIDNAPPER IS REALLY HARD TO FIND!" Hana pointed and yelled.

"JUST ADMIT IT! YOU'RE JUST AN OBSSESSIVE FANGIRL STALKING HIM!" Kirei hesitated and blushed.

"W-what? No way!"

"Don't lie! Your face says everything!" Kirei's face went bright red.

"MY FACE SAYS NOTHING!" Hana turned away from Kirei.

"Arg! Why do I even bother arguing with a shitty idiot like you!" Kirei began to retort.

"shi-shi" But was cut off as Hana reached for the door handle, clicking her tongue.

"I don't even know why I was friends with you" Kirei watched surprised as Hana opened the door. She turned to Kirei half way from exiting the room.

"I don't want to hand around you anymore"

"Once you've healed, please leave!" She proclaimed before leaving the room and closing the door behind her.

Kirei sat in the silent white room, wondering whether their friendship was really over.

3


	19. Chapter 19 Conflict

Criminal Love – Chapter 19 Conflict

**Criminal Love**

Kirei peeked around the corner of the door leading to Hana's living room/dining-kitchen in the early morning dressed in plain pyjamas. She watched Hana stand over some boiling sauce pans and steaming frying pans. Kirei crept inside the room towards Hananoko.

"Um...Hana..." Hana slowly turned to Kirei glaring with much disapproval.

"Heh heh" Kirei sped around the corner quickly laughing awkwardly 'Still mad' she thought smiling roughly.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUT OF BED!" Hana cried at Kirei as she winced.

"THE FASTER YOU HEAL, THE FASTER YOU LEAVE!" She yelled while pointing. Kirei peeked around the door frame, still awkwardly laughing. Hana turned back to the stove.

"Hmph!" Kirei watched past the door frame silently.

"Hey Hana, you're like a doctor right?" Kirei quietly spoke. Hana twitched at the question.

"heh? Yeah, so what?" Hana sneered and stirred something in the pan. Kirei flicked her hand in gesture.

"Oh, nothing, just curious is all. I mean you patched me up and everything"

"GO. BED. NOW." Hana exclaimed. Kirei was gone before you could hear 'NOW'.

"Ah! R-right!" She dragged her slippers across the wooden floor 'Maybe...' Kirei continued slowly down the long hallway 'Perhaps... Hana could help me with my long journey searches for Itachi...'  
'But then...I get into a lot of troublesome situations, I don't even know if Hana can fight...' Kirei thought deeply into the deep recesses of her mind 'Looking back...' images of various enemies popped into her mind, starting with the 3 from the moment that caused Kirei to fall off the cliff when she was little, the 3 ANBU which came after her and Itachi while they were still together, Tamaki – If you can really call him an enemy and the gang boss leader and his gang 'There were a lot of times I could of died' Kirei heart skipped a beat at the thought 'And there's more too...!' More enemies appeared including the kidnapper back in Konoha, Nomura Bonta and the 3 super fast angry guys which chased Kirei down with a mob. Kirei spiralled down in a dizzy depression.

"Kirei?" She snapped out at the name.

"I have your breakfast" Hana carried a steaming tray standing next to Kirei's bed, which Kirei was sitting on 'When did I get here?' Kirei asked herself. Hana put the tray down on the bed with clang of ceramics.

"Eat." Hana said sternly at Kirei 'Maintain friendship, maintain friendship...' Kirei winced sliding down the headrest.

"O...O.K..." Hana stomped around the bed.

"Hmph!" she made out and slammed the door, leaving Kirei to her food. Kirei was silent for a moment, before her empty stomach growled loudly interrupting that moment.

Kirei stuffed her face with the food brought to her 'Gang filled area...' She thought as she gobbled down the meal 'I wonder...what Hana was doing there away...' Kirei sucked on the ends of the chopsticks 'Was she lost?' She pondered, slightly gnawing at the wooden sticks 'Or maybe...no she couldn't be...'

'Part of a gang?' Kirei re-imagined the earlier glare that Hana gave her in sudden realisation 'Like their doctor or something? Then wouldn't that mean that she can fight?' Kirei concentrated hard 'I wonder if that means she could help me?' Kirei continue munching 'what's her deal...'

The wind brushed through the leaves in the trees later that evening. Hana and Kirei enjoyed a nice home cooked meal; made by Hana.

"Finish your dinner then go straight to bed, I have somewhere to go." Hana said.

"Go?" Kirei said in surprise, in the middle of munching on some kind of meat.

"None of your business" Hana said happily eating. Kirei watched Hana silently as she ate smugly; she then smirked in the opportunity 'Chance!' She thought.

The front door clicked shut as Hana left the house, Kirei watched from around the corner of the hallway door frame, quietly chuckling. Then quickly; sprinted down the hall, taking her p.j's top off and flinging them on to the hard wood floor, she continued to her door.

Hana silently tapped her feet on the concrete floor in the late night, she continued into town. Several buildings behind her, Kirei clasped her back against the building huffing and puffing. Exhausted from the quick change then sprint down to street level.

The crescent moon shone down on the skyline as Kirei hopped over the roofs, stalking Hana who was briskly walking around below, through a maze like path of alleyways and back streets. She approached a small secluded area where a lone person stood, hooded against the wall. Kirei caught her breath 'She's stopped' She watched her get closer to the person who seemed to be waiting 'who's that?'

Hana approached the hooded person.

"How are they?" The person lifted off the wall and casually replied.

"They're stable but still in trouble." Hana stayed silent.

"We really need your help"

"Is everything there?" Hana said.

"Oh Yeah! Everything you would need is there"

"Where are they?" The person turned.

"This way follow me" They both turned and continued down the alley way. Kirei still sat on the roof holding her hand to her ear trying to listen, but all she could hear was the trees in the wind 'Wish I could of heard that...' She watched them walk away slowly 'Where are they going now?'

The hooded woman called out to Hana from a concrete tunnel.

"Down here!" Kirei watched from the roof top behind Hana, directly opposite the tunnel 'Underground? Damn! Can't follow her now!' Hana continued down the tunnel after the woman. Kirei hunched over and hugged her knees 'It doesn't look like a tunnel' The wind howled, blowing her hair all over the place 'I'll just wait 'til she comes back'

Hana and her acquaintance reached a curtained off section of the underground metropolis tunnel, showing remnants of once being significant. It's now cracked, old and used.

"In here" Said the acquaintance holding the rough curtain as Hana walked closer. Hana shifted the frayed curtain over and peered inside with the other woman, she exclaimed at the sight.

"This is too much!" she said.

"Yeah, the number went up a while ago..." Hana just stared.

"Will you still do it" Hana creased her eyebrows in determination and nodded.

"Yes of course!"

The high winds whistled as the sun peeked from the east horizon. Kirei watched it from the corner of eye 'Maybe it was a tunnel...' she thought, cheeks pink in the chill. She heard something from down below and saw Hana and her friend reappear.

"There!" Hana said exhausted, sighing and wiping her forehead of sweat.

"Thanks again Hananoko" Said the friend turning back into the entrance. Hana nodded again and smiled.

"Of course!" She looked up at the sky and the changing colours 'The sun's rising' she thought. Kirei hid when Hana looked up. Hana sighed 'Better go back and get Kirei's breakfast ready...' Kirei watched Hana walk back the way she came 'Is she heading back?' Kirei leaned up 'Crap. I have to get back before her!' She stood up and analyzed the way back, only to see a maze of buildings and roads 'Wait, which way is back?' She looked back down to see Hana had already left. Panicking she scanned the roofs 'I'll just go that way then...' she hopped onto another roof, thinking she's figured out the straight forward way back when she watched.

"hm?" She questioned as Hana turned around the corner 'She turned?' She thought as her map of the area became shattered.

'She turned again?' She thought as she charged through the town after her, backtracking and crashing.

'Not this way either?'

'Again!'

'WHERE IS THIS PLACE!'

Kirei opened the window to her room, letting the sunshine flow in, she then dragged herself through the grate and flopped down onto the floor. Breathing heavily and sweating like a pig she sighed in relief 'I...somehow...made it...' Her little moment of relief broke as the front door clicked open; she flipped herself over 'Crap! I'm still in my outfit!' her heart beat as the footsteps on the hall floor grew louder.

Hana knocked on the door.

"Kirei?" She called, creaking the door open just a bit. She walked into the sunshine filled room.

"Wake up, its morning" The room was silent. Kirei's heart beat fast as Hana walked around the bed to wake her.

"Kirei?" She called again as Kirei fake stirred.

"E-eh?" She hesitantly shifted in the bed.

"Good you're awake" She half turned away.

"I'll go get your breakfast. Stay" Kirei half heartedly smile.

"O-O.K" The door to her room clicked shut, as Kirei breathed; her heart still racing 'Too close!' She thought, still in her outfit strategically placed under the covers to hide it. She got up; flipping the duvet 'I have to change quick!' She thought staring at the clean, un-littered floor 'Now where did I put those P.J's?'

Meanwhile in the hallway it was dirtied with her P.J's dumped. Kirei grabbed her head in realisation, she panicked 'How did she not _see_ that?'

Hana on the other hand; in the kitchen yawned and rubbed her eye.

'Regardless, if Hana sees that I've dumped them she'll be mad for sure!' Her heart thumped as she imagined Hana's reaction if she found out "?" She would cry 'I have to get them back for sure!'

Kirei creaked open the door to the hall. She watched and waited; before sneaking out 'quietly now...' she leaned against the wall and inched her way to the clothes lying on the floor 'Closer...' She leaned over the pants and slowly reached her hand out 'Now just grab...'

Kirei's voice jumped out of her chest as Hana's voice called out.

"Kirei! What are you doing!"


	20. Chapter 20 Discovering Troubles

Criminal Love – Chapter 20

**Criminal Love**

Kirei's heart was flickering in panic as she started stuttering.

"What are you doing?!" Hana cried out from behind a wall, her voice reverberating down the hall from the open door a few feet away from Kirei.

"Aug..." Kirei murmured, her heart was hammering her chest.

"I thought I told you to stay!" Thump, Kirei's blood pulsed from her chest.

"Right, I'll go now" She took some quiet deep shaky breaths as she reached for the pants splayed on the wooden hall floor. Slowly and silently lifting them into her arms; she quickly sprinted down the opposite direction to her bedroom, slamming the door loudly behind her. 'Change!' she thought, stripping her zip up half top and pants, dumping them on the floor in the process. Slipping on the plain pyjamas top she swiftly kicked the other clothes underneath the messy bed. After the articles were clearly out of sight, she leapt into the air. With arms stretched she glided momentarily over the bed before landing with a thud and bounce. Kirei then tucked her feet under the sheets, with one sweeping motion pulled the duvet and sheets over her body. She comfortably repositioned herself 'READY!' she thought, smirking to herself. She sparkled with pride at her achievement.

"Kirei, breakfast!" Hana yelled down the hall, interrupting her thoughts. She waited for a moment before sorrowfully frowning and got out of bed. She dragged her feet out her closed door, and scraped her slippers along the hall. She eventually reached the doorway to the dining room, seeing Hana set the hot dishes down at the table 'JUMPED INTO BED FOR NOTHING!' She thought frustrated. Hana looked up with a distained expression.

"Hurry up and sit" Kirei still had a frown, staring back at Hana.

"EAT" Hana commanded. Kirei reluctantly dragged the chair at the table across the floor and sat at the table. Hana walked around the table to the opposite side of Kirei, dragging out her chair.

"I'm going out tonight." She announced.

"Again?" Kirei said surprised.

"Yeah. Problem?" Hana said sternly, lowering her gaze equally to intimidate Kirei. She flinched and avoided her look.

"Err...no. nothing" Kirei looked down at the table sullenly 'Great. Another night on a roof' Kirei's eyes bagged with tiredness from the lack of sleep. Hana gazed at her hard worked on breakfast with a serious expression 'I have to finish no matter what' she thought.

Later that night, Kirei found herself on the same roof top. Clutching the edge of the ceramic tiled building; it was silent and Kirei was equally quiet. She lay face down; watching the mysterious tunnel leading underneath the opposite building. Kirei's eyes slowly closed as her head rolled to her left shoulder, she snapped awakening again. 'So boring!' she thought grumbling to the air. 'I barely got any sleep last time, how am I supposed to endure this boredom?' She glared at the air in front of her 'what the hell is Hana doing in there!? Hurry up and come ooooooooooooooouuuuuuuutt!' Frustration clearly getting to her Kirei remained still on the building in the dim night light.

In darker light, Hana worked hard scrapping something; sweat beads dripped down her face onto her disposable surgeon's face mask. A woman with dark green hair hiding her face in a dark blue sleeveless hoodie watched Hana in worry. The sounds of heavy breathing, moans, groans, metallic apparatus and sloshing were loud between them.

Outside Kirei rolled across the building length wise, pausing for a moment to stare at the night's cloudy sky with freakishly wide eyes.

"Is it over yet!?" She yelled to the heavens. She sighed relaxing a bit until she heard a sound. People? A murmur of laughter, talking and shouts could be heard from the street below. Kirei crawled forward on her belly 'what's that?' she questioned as the noise grew a little louder. From the left in a street besides the opposite building Kirei watched was a gathering etching closer to the corner, noisy bunch they were; excitement was a clear indicator in them. 'A crowd?' Kirei thought, questioning their intentions with slight interest. 'Hey wait...' Kirei stared into the crowd's faces. 'I know him...' she thought, recognising the fist pumping male at the front with straight short black hair, rallying the four others directly behind them. 'and him too...' she peered in to the back to the last person guiding the four in front of him lagging behind the first 5 forward at a steady pace. He had light coloured long hair, he was dragging his feet and had his hands stuffed into his pants pockets. Kirei concentrated on remembering their faces 'they're from...' the memory appeared into her mind in a flash of the two hugging each other in terror 'That gang!' another memory flashed in domino fall 'with that guy!' the man who glared over the railing; leader of the two reconciled in that memory of the gang raid. 'What are they doing here?' she questioned watching over the roofing. 'They're not...' she pondered spying on them waltz closer to the corner and around it. 'Heading for Hana's tunnel over there!?' the one in the front edged closer to the carved out hole in the side of the building. 'They are!' She realised as he pointed to the tunnel 'But Hana's in there!' she lifted herself up 'I have to stop them!' she screeched in her head, standing up.

"Alright, it's pretty easy guys, just storm up in there and take everyone out" said one of the members of the group to the rest.

"Heh heh so easy..." mumbled the light haired one at the back.

"Especially with opponents like..." a loud thump that sounded like a jump followed by a whishing sound echoed out into the street,

"What's that soun-" the sound of something slicing through the air grew louder as the man grew more irritable, he glanced upwards.

"OH MY! NOT HER!" he cried flinching and backing away to the window.

"Who?" asked the man's friend with black hair, he looked up momentarily and shuddered.

"Why!?" he wailed foaming at the mouth with tears seeping out of his eyes.

From above towered the falling body of Kirei, descending feet first with a determined expression.

"Save Hana!" She cried; the man foaming at the mouth fainted in on sight. Kirei landed with a loud thud and cloud on the concrete she slowly rose up into squatting position taking a breath. The group in front stared in wonder and confusion. The pale haired long man bit his lip and questioned himself 'why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why why' Kirei looked up at them and glared, huffing out a breath.

"Quick, stop her!" He yelled while pointing at her. The others complied, cracking their knuckles and gathering their weapons looming closer to her.

A loud sound caught the attention of Hana far below.

"Go, I'll take over here" Said Hana's companion. Hana dashed through the tunnel leading up the stairs and outside sounds of crying, thuds, bangs, whooshes and zips echoed through. Hana emerged huffing into the commotion. She stood and waited staring at the sight; Kirei with one man's head under her arm, face kicking another man. With several others wincing and hunched over in pain several feet away.

"Kirei?" Hana asked, making Kirei flinch at the sound of her voice.

"Ah...Hana?" Kirei said nervously looking at her stand there in confusion, still holding someone in a head lock as the kicked one collapsed in front of her. Hana clenched her fist and lowered her gaze at Kirei.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed, glaring.

"Da...um can I answer you after I beat these guys up?" She said grating her knuckles against the guys head locked into her arm.

"Fine, I'll help you" she said reaching behind her grabbing her knife tucked in the sash around her torso.

"Sweet" Kirei grinned and continued to cause the man latched to her armpit discomfort.

The two girls continued to fight the group of ten punching, slashing, kicking and taunting them in superiority; completely dominating the fight, with few grazes, scratches and flesh wounds. Kirei eventually found the last member of the group; the pale haired man who noticed her first and lifted him above her head, and smashing him back down.

The two girls breathed deeply and smirked in confidence and pride; in front of them lay a pile of groaning bodies that used to be a threatening presence; they revelled in their accomplishment for a moment as the defeated shuddered in agony.

"O.K, now answer me" Hana said smirking at Kirei.

"Huh? Oh yeah...uh..." Kirei's eyes darkened and she pulled a nervous smile.

"I might have just...followed you..." she scratched the back of her head with an awkward smile; she remained silent as Hana's fury grew.

"Heh?" she asked as she folded her arms.

"Well you were acting weird and I wanted to know where you keep going off. So I followed you 'cause I don't want our friendship to end!" Kirei cried

"Hmm..." Hana concentrated on the ground calming down.

"Well I guess..." she glanced at the pile of groaning bodies

"You're pretty strong..." she looked back at Kirei.

"I guess you can handle yourself" She smiled.

"You're O.K"


	21. Chapter 21 Kudo Hananoko

Criminal Love – chapter 21 – Kudo Hananoko

**Criminal Love**

Groans wailed from the twitching pile of bodies, they lay lapsed on the concrete right in front of carved out hole in the side of a silent building, in the dark lax complex of alley ways.

Hananoko smiled at Kirei "You're O.k" She said with a laugh. Kirei flashed her teeth for a moment in response, before receiving a sharp karate chop to her cranium.

"Awk!" she flinched.

"But don't you dare secretly follow me again!" Hana scolded, Kirei retreated, hovering her hands over the sore spot soon to be a lump.

"O.k" she hoarsely whispered; Hana cheekily smirked.

"Let's hurry inside before they find out." She spoke while spinning herself around.

Hana led Kirei down the dark tunnel underneath the thick slabs of concrete, Kirei peered around in interest.

"We're going to have to barricade this hallway" Hana said watching the dirty curtain in front of them. Kirei inattentive, thought 'So this is what the inside of the tunnel looks like' Finally looking in front of her she saw the sight obscuring object blocking the next room 'Curtain?' Kirei paused 'Do I get to go behind the curtain?' Hana pulled the curtain back with her arm 'Yes!' Kirei thought excitedly. Hana stopped and looked back at Kirei.

"You say something?" Kirei remained silent staring at Hana with a mildly surprised expression.

"...no." She nervously squeaked. She continued to stare at Hana with a blank tense stare; Hana watched questionably, shrugging it off as Kirei being strange again. Hana pulled back the curtain and slipped underneath it, Kirei followed.

What awaited Kirei was not like the tight dark damp hallway that she had just trudged through, but a large, high ceilinged space supported by three solid concrete pillars, patched up with some cloth hiding some corrosion and holes made over the years. The entire room was the same; eroded, cracked and fallen apart in some places. There were large and small pipes running over head and attached to the walls. There were some door-sized gaps in the walls, suggesting more rooms beyond this one. The floor was made up of plat forms that had small runways leading to the lower levels. But what was most striking of this place was that it was littered with small and large tents.

These tents were occupied, with beds filled with injured. Some had beds that surrounded the tent, particularly on the higher platform areas. The place was filled with bottles, boxes, knickknacks and doodads piled near living areas and corners which catered to them well. Right in the middle of the room was semi-large structure somewhat that of a garden gazebo except rougher with questionable building structure; it housed what appears to be a large hole in the ground, and from the buckets and pails that the people were carrying it seems to be filled with water. Lit candles and lanterns placed everywhere provided the light for the sealed off area. Directly behind the make-shift well was a blood soaked block, where two people wearing masks do something to a person crying in agony, this appears to be the surgical area with a table and a bucket nearby, the two working on the patient move swiftly, picking up items from the table and returning to the patient.

"What is this place?" Kirei spoke bewildered.

"A refuge for the injured" Hana replied coldly. Kirei took a closer look at the people that were around.

"Almost all of them are children." Kirei lowered her gaze sullenly.

"Yeah, they're the victims of gang attacks on they're families." Hana stared out briefly.

"Pitiful isn't it?"  
"Hopeless, defenceless, broken and some without families or homes"  
"All because of that damn Sou Kukara" Hana clenched her teeth together in bitter anger.

"Who?"

"The guy who leads the biggest gang in the area..."  
"Especially around where I found you, that's about where his H.Q is..." Kirei looked at Hana for a bit and thought.

"You mean the guy with the scar?" She asked, remembering the face of the 'boss man' commanding her death by his minions as she took it upon herself to retrieve her stolen items; the short eyebrows and that past gash that crossed his muzzle.

"You met him!?" Hana looked her in the eye with concern.

"Yeah, he yelled 'you bitch!' at me." Hana's concern was suddenly gone.

"Hananoko, I'm all done..." A woman adorning a hood that shaded her eyes, and sleeveless arms tucked into the front pocket of the jumper approached Hana. 'That person from before...' Kirei remembered her from when she stalked Hana from rooftops. Hana sighed.

"Good, at least they're all finished now"

"Who's this?" She nudged her head toward Kirei.

"Me?"

"My friend!" Hana said grinning, making Kirei smile in accomplishment for becoming Hana's friend again.

"The one you've been complaining about for the past week?" She spoke dryly. Kirei's smile dissipated quickly as she gaped in astonishment, depression soon overcoming her 'Hana!' she complained in her mind, keeping a watchful eye on her not believing this. Hana silently kept her smile with a sweat.

"Well...Hana's friend, I'm Reiko, just Reiko." Her voice velvet and sarcastic, her expression especially so; she wore a dark blue hoodie, that covered her pale face and dark green hair, her messy fringe covering half of her face, excluding one of her bored eyes from view. Her lips were noticeably plumper than that of Kirei and Hana's.

"Ka Kirei, pleased to meet you" Kirei responded accordingly.

"So Hananoko, what happened upstairs?"

"It was an ambush, ten of them intending to take us out..." She explained.  
"Kirei was in the middle of beating on them" Kirei was silent 'That's who they were?'

"By coincidence?" Reiko questioned. Kirei nervously laughed. Hana was shifty and silent.  
"Well I suppose that's not the point, thing is...they know we're here..."

"Exactly, we should barricade for as long as possible" Hana said confidently.

"Right as soon as they find out, they'll send in another team..."

"But if you barricade, you'll be stuck in here" Kirei said sticking her hand up.

"That's fine, we've got an exit tunnel" said Hana.

"We should check it's clear anyway. I'll gather people to help the blocking"

"Right Kirei and I shall start finding things to block with" Reiko nodded.

"O.k" and was off. Hana turned around and pulled the curtain back.

"Follow me, there should be some stuff in the rooms over there" She said to Kirei disappearing behind the cloth; Kirei following suit.

Back in the hallway Hana pointed to a meekly boarded up doorway.

"There, those boards should do"

"I got this" Kirei said with a grin, she walked up to the three boards nailed to the wall and got into a side-ways balancing crane position, fists balled.

With one swift kick, the sole of her boot made contact with the wood _hard_, and split them right down the middle. Snapping them in half and at the ends where the nails were embedded. The old wood dropped to the concrete in soft thuds along with chunks and splinters. The inside of the room was small, cold and silent; it appears to be some kind of storage house for furniture, as there were desks, chairs, tables and other household items piled up upon each other.

"Grab the desks" Kirei did as she was told and reached for the closest desk, she glanced at Hana on the other side of the room collecting some long planks of wood, she had a frown and stared melancholy at the planks, Kirei watched worried. Hana marched out of the room with the planks as Kirei wobbled after her with the desk clasped with her fingers.

"Right there should do" Hana told Kirei as she put dropped the desk down at the foot of the stairs.

"And we can use these broken planks to bind things." Kirei flexed back and huffed while Hana gently dropped the planks. Kirei watched.

"Say Hana..."

"Huh?"

"Why are even doing this?"

"What!?" Hana said annoyed

"To stop the ambush? I thought we just went over this, did you forget?"

"No, I meant all of this – the hideout, doctoring and this barricading" Kirei grumbled back 'I'm not stupid' Hana frowned and remained silent, sadness echoed in her eyes.

"Hana?" She said concerned.

"A gang war too my family Kirei" Kirei gasped and stared astonished.

"What? No way...I'm...I'm... So sorry" Hana lowered her gaze and tried to smile.

"No, don't be...it's not like it's your fault you might have even saved me" There was silence.

"C-can I ask when?" Hana looked up briefly.

"It was a little after you 'died'"

**My parents were having a hard time explaining to me what happened.**

_So lonely._

**But I knew.**

_I cried._

**I didn't want to see anyone so I'd always go as far away as I could go.**

_Alone in the forest._

**When I returned one day...**

_To my surprise._

**My Dad's work place had been the target of one of the gangs in town.**

_Set ablaze._

**My dad was trapped inside.**

_The flame that melded with the clouds._

**Not only was it not enough to kill everyone inside...**

_I came closer._

**They went to my home specifically to take out my Mum and I...**

_So many bodies._

**You could say I was lucky I wasn't home or near at the time.**

_The fire still so bright._

**But was I really?**

_Horror._

**There was nothing for me.**

_I wailed._

**It was horrible.**

_My Daddy is dead._

**The doctors there consoled me...**

_They whispered to each other._

**But none of them stayed for too long.**

_He pitied me._

**My uncle took me in after...**

_Everything is dark._

**But in the days before.**

_I saw him, my dead Daddy._

**I was excruciatingly lonely...**

_Tears are bitter._

**Everything in me hurt and I couldn't stop trembling.**

_I love you Mommy, Daddy._

"These Kids, are the same as me...But I won't let what happened to me be as painful as it was to them."  
"These Kids are helpless, but I'll help them..." Kirei watched the floor bitterly.

"You're really great Hana" She said softly. Hana smiled gently.

"This the place that we're placing the barrier?" Reiko announced as several others followed behind her, interrupting the heart breaking silence between Kirei and Hana.

"Yeah there's some furniture in that room" Hana put up a smile and nudged a hint to the broken open doorway.

"That one?" Reiko said looking at it.  
"Sweet." She turned back to the followers.  
"Just grab some stuff and pile it up by the stairs"

The helpers dragged out the old desks and drawers, dumping them near the original desk. Slowly building up a thick sturdy wall of stuff.

"So, what happened?" Spoke a voice of a man with a scar, expecting nothing good, bloodthirsty for the cries of the two in front of him; Usui and Takata.

Takata trembled on his knees looking up to Kukara while Usui also on his knees croaked out.

"W-we failed"

"WRONG!" Kukara exploded. Usui and Takata jumped at the sudden sound. They're hearts trembled in their chests as they sank down, the air became thick with fear as they struggled to breath in front of their pissed off master.

"You! Ran and hid while everyone fought" He sneered, referring to Takata. Takata was suddenly hit; something fast and hard, it tore through his jacket and flesh in one fell swoop. He cried out in pain, soon after, doubled over in agony. There on his back where nine clawed out lashes seeping blood, staining the jacket in red. It stung badly and he gasped for air, of course no one was going to aid him, this was light punishment. The tips of the whip dragged across the floor, snaking away into darkness, Usui watched it happen and over looked his friend curled up into a ball the red of his back exposed. He turned back to Kukara in fear.

_He's next._

"And you." He began

"Fainted at the sight of her" Usui's eyes darted all over the place, there was someone behind him, he was going to hit him with that whip, he and Takata were going to spend the night in the cold room alone to nurse they're backs.

"HARRRGERRRR!" Direct hit, one fell slash to the skin on his back, Usui went down, clenching the ground with his fist as the cat o' nine tails slithered away.

Usui and Takata balled on the ground clutching at they're backs.

"Prepare a new team at once" Said Kukara watching the two in agony on his make-shift thrown.

"Make sure that camp is gone."

[A/N]

Finally a new chapter! If you're wondering what happened in the middle with Hana, it was a flash back with her narrative and frankly I had no idea how to write a double narrative. So I went with something poetic, writing the second narrative in one sentence depending on what was in the panel (Manga remember? You can read it on my DeviantArt – Link should be on my Profile) I went this way because I didn't like the Idea of

"_My parents were having a hard time explaining what happened"_

_Little Hananoko sat alone against the trunk of a tall tree, knees pulled up to her chin she stared at the long grass. The forest was a dark place._

Ect...

If you don't like it I could change it later.

Also, I have planned a new fanfic for Itachi with a somewhat sad story line, I've got the plot all sorted out and it's going to be first person (Yikes!) Which will be a challenge, the first chapter is almost done -needs some more refining- but I just don't have the motivation.

*Sigh*

Since it's not got a Manga to wait for, would you like it? I'm currently on holiday so there's no limit on my time to write right now.

Well R&R what you think and see you next chapter~


	22. Chapter 22 Attack

Chapter 22 - Attack

**Criminal Love**

[A/N; Oh hey :'D it's been a while hasn't it? Well here's a chapter. If you get too impatient and you don't already know you can always read the Manga pages as they come out, chapters are going to be limited around 20ish and I almost always upload 5 pages at a time when they're done. This is the link to Volume 4 the latest: gallery/37016452  
if I get enough demand for the other story which I also haven't touched in a while since I last spoke of it... I might concentrate my time on that, then you might get a full story with planning and stuff  
Well 'til next chapter, whenever that is...]

"Move that here..."

"Can you walk?"

"Is she still...? Now?"

"Prepare the...in..."

Kirei blinked her eyes in a dark room, dizzy she looked around. Concrete walls and ground with a small futon underneath her; she sat up and clasping her forehead and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, her hair loose and unclipped. Kirei managed to look over her shoulder to see Hana walk towards her holding a candle and a small basket full of items.  
"Oh, you're awake." She said with a smile. Kirei yawned and stretched her arms above her head.

"Are you done barricading?" She said leaning on her palms, sitting on her bedding on a small concrete platform inside the large underground cavity; she had slept through the night.

"Almost" Hana replied. She held the candle higher.

"We should be done soon." Kirei swung herself out of the sheets.

"Good" She said.

"How do you feel?"

"Tired"

"...understandable...you only slept for a couple of hours" Kirei sat on the edge of the platform and looked up at Hana.

"What can I do to help?"

"Well you could help pack things, bandage people or help barricade." Kirei stood up and pulled her hair up into a ponytail.

"I guess I could finish barricading" She said tightening her hair.

"Great the barricades are just securing things." Hana started to turn away, Kirei clipping her star shaped hair clip into her left bang.

"'k" and with that the two left their separate ways, Kirei walked to the entrance that she originally came from. She passed through the curtain to find the dark hallway completely blocked up with furniture, there were several people nailing planks to the large wall and tying things together. Kirei approached the workers quietly.

"Need any help?" A kid turned around.

"Yeah, help us hold up planks" Kirei smiled and took a plank amongst many leaning against the wall. She held it up between a desk and vertical table while another hammered in nails.

"There" Kirei said standing back looking at the ceiling high barricade with the others after a long while of hard work.

"No one's getting through that!" Said the kid with a smile.

"Now all we've got to do is pack up" Said another woman. Reiko walked in and glanced at the wall.

"All done?" She asked.

"Yes."  
"Sure"  
"Yup!" They all answered.

"Great" She said walking up to them.

"Now we've got to finish clearing up" She stopped in front of them.

"And them when they start attacking the wall we'll escape out the back"

"RIGHT!" They all shouted enthusiastically.

Back inside the hall the many to all of the occupants ran around with boxes and packages; untying the tents and helping the wounded move also tending to the ill. Kirei walked through the curtain 'what to do?' she thought.

"Finished already?" Hana said walking up to her. Kirei faced her and smiled.

"Yeah."

"Great just start packing things into boxes"

"O.K. where do I start?" Hana pointed to an area with scattered with miscellanies things and an empty box sitting nearby.

"'k" Kirei said heading that way, Hana moved somewhere else. Kirei kneeled at the small wooden box and started packing in things; one by one she put in the medicines and other things. She paused when she heard the sound of a child coughing. Further down the platform in the centre of the room was a large tent and in front of it Hana tended to an ill child.

"Can you sit up?" She overheard, 'some of them are still bad...' She looked around to the other side of the room 'they're the most difficult to escape' she watched as the healthiest ones run around frantically 'this group is going to be really slow'. Kirei glanced at Hana 'I wonder where Hana is will lead us...' She slowly went back to filling the box '...difficult...'

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Kirei stopped everything at the terrible sound of someone crashing into the barricade. Hana's heart skipped a beat and she glanced at the curtained entrance. Shivers heard in her breath she stood up and announced.

"EVERYONE! IT'S HAPPENING!" The banging continued while the frenzying people paused to listen to Hana.

"GRAB ANYTHING THAT'S IMPORTANT! MEDS, BLANKETS SOME CLOTHES, LEAVE EVERYTHING ELSE!"

"IF YOU'RE STRONG CARRY THE SICK WHO CAN'T WALK!"

"IF YOU'VE GOT NOTHING LEFT TO DO, CONTINUE TO THE EXIT!" She pointed to the small entrance at the back.

"HURRY!" Every scattered immediately picking up the injured and limping them to the door. Hana kneeled at the coughing child and yelled at Kirei, the room had quickly gotten noisy.

"Kirei! Come carry this boy, I'll show you the way"

"'k" Kirei hopped up onto the platform and walked over to his bed, kneeled down and lifted him up princess style while Hana stood up and grabbed a box. She jumped down the platform and yelled at Kirei.

"This way" Kirei followed Hana slowly to a line of people crowding into a broken door. It was dark and it was filled with the murmurs and whispers of the people. Kirei put the boy down on a laid mattress.

"I'll set you down here for a bit" He nodded gently; eyes closed and pale. She made her way through the crowd and took a moment to over look the whole room, watching the people pile into the doorway. The loud bangs of the intruders trying to break through their barricades could still be heard. The room was hardly called empty.

Meanwhile inside the hall Hana looked through the piles of boxes and items.

"Is this everything?" she asked the adults waiting.

"Yes." One of them said.

"Then everyone hurry here!" She yelled.

"Kirei!" She cried out, getting her attention. She wondered at the back of the line into the hall.

Hana at the front stood on a box and cried out to everyone.

"Is this everyone?"  
"Alright, let's move!"

Slowly the large group made its way down the long hallway. Reiko at the front with Hana said.

"I'll push from behind"

"O.k." Hana replied nodding and Reiko made her way to the back.

Kirei way at the back held the child in her arms; she was bent over slightly; sweaty and panting. The boy, also flushed and panting with a heavy fever, looked at her in worry.

"Sis, are you o.k.?" He asked. Kirei put on a smile.

"Of course, why?" She asked with a slight laugh.

"You don't look so good." Kirei paused for a bit as she finally noticed the burning/stabbing pain on her side. Still she smiled.

"Don't worry 'bout it. Rest we'll be there soon."

"Ah! I see light!" Someone in the crowd shouted. Kirei grinned at the boy.

"See?" He gave a smile back.

Hana exited the hall up some stairs into a clearing in a forest from a lone roofed building with a hole of a doorway. The forest was dark and silent. However that was something she wasn't concentrating on, to her shock; several armed lackeys stood waiting in front of her. A large man with an axe, a slender woman enjoying a smoke, a tall man standing underneath an even taller tree and young scarred man sitting on a rock; more stood behind them. Hana stood still as the rest of the group poured out into the glowing sky of the very early hours of the morn. Reiko stared down from underneath her hood as she stepped outside.

"Oh no" She uttered. Hana turned around as if it to shout another command.

"Go-"she began.

"Can't turn back" said the woman, chuckling at Hana's reaction. Hana clenched her teeth 'she's right...' she thought 'with the ones at the barricade and the ones here, we're stuck!' Hana started to panic 'what do I do?' Kirei made it out the door to see Hana's face pale. She looked onwards to the threatening presence.

"Reiko" Kirei addressed, who was standing right next to her. She outstretched her arms as if to give the boy to her.

"What are you..." she started, taking the child.

"I'll distract them!" Kirei said determined.

Hana glanced at the crowd when she heard noises. Suddenly Kirei burst out from the people gritting her teeth.

"Kirei!" Hana said surprised, as Kirei dashed her way to the lackeys.

"Take the opportunity!" Hana turned around.

"She's distracting them; move!" Reiko shouted. Hana stared at Kirei who had already started flips and kicks.

"MOVE!" Hana shouted dropping the box she had been carrying. Hana watched the crowd slowly make its way through the trees; she glanced back once and while to see Kirei serve her boot to a face. By the time the people on crotches reached the edge of the thinner trees of the clearing Kirei was gasping doubled over on her hands. Trembling she panted, the large man with an axe, bruised and slightly wounded said.

"Tired?" Kirei glared at him and stood up quickly. The group still sluggishly moved through, now at a considerable distance away from the entrance they came from.

"Hurry!" Hana cried out at the shuffling crowd. She glanced through the tree trunks to see Kirei charge at the woman then suddenly receive a knee to the face. Hana shocked cried out.

"KIREI!" Kirei who had recently had the upper hand was now taking a brutal beating from all of them; she was thrown onto the ground in a battered, bruised and broken heap. The big guy looked down on her.

"With you gone..." He grinned.

"There's nothing stopping us!" Slowly everyone gathered behind him.

"And it's all you fault." Kirei lay still looking at the grass. He clenched tightly to the weapon. He started to laugh slowly.

"It's kind of cruel to those kids, healing them just so they die" He lifted the axe above his head over Kirei.

"Bye"

Hana watched in horror.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOO!"


End file.
